ERJ advances: epigenetic ageing and leveraging DNA methylation in chronic respiratory diseases

Extract Chronic respiratory diseases are the third leading cause of death and affect more than 450 million people worldwide [1]. Major risk factors such as cigarette smoking have long been studied in their pathogenesis, but as the global population ages, increasing attention must now be paid to the contributory role of ageing [2]. Epidemiological evidence indicates a decline in lung health over time with lung function classically reaching its peak between 20–30 years of age and starting an inevitable descent thereafter [3]. Modern paradigms suggest that this rise and descent may occur at different rates along the lifespan, which may indicate that the links between age and lung function may be variable between individuals [4]. Deciphering how lung ageing influences the development of chronic respiratory diseases may hold powerful clues into novel therapeutics and management strategies.