Blood DNA methylation markers are associated with diabetic kidney disease progression in type 1 diabetes
Authors' conclusion
The current study detected 11 loci associated with DKD progression, identifying methylation changes predictive of early-stage DKD progression in type 1 diabetes for the first time. Future research is needed to establish prognostic DNA methylation markers for DKD progression.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals with T1D from the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study cohort; baseline blood DNA methylation
- Participants
- 403 vs 372
- Exposure
- Early-stage progression vs Late-stage progression
- Early-stage progressionn = 403
- Late-stage progressionn = 372
- Outcome
- DKD progression: eGFR decrease to <60 ml/min per 1.73 m² (early-stage) and ESKD (late-stage)
Methodological detailsprospective cohort, replication in two T1D cohorts and public EWAS summary statistics, integration with genetic and proteomic data
- Prospective cohort
- Replication in two T1D cohorts and public EWAS summary statistics
- Integration with genetic and proteomic data
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Methylation sites associated with DKD progression
- Methylation sites associated with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progression (p<9.4 × 10-8)
- 11
- Lead end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) risk locus cg17944885 (chr19p13.2)
- p=2.6 × 10-17
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Proteomic analysis of cis proteins
- cg14999724 methylation associated with PRG3 and PRG2; cg12272104 with BSG, FSTL3 and PALM; UK Biobank data show associations of these proteins with severe kidney endpoints
Prediction of early-stage DKD progression
- Survival models with methylation markers plus clinical risk factors significantly improved identification of individuals at risk of early-stage progression
Original publication
Blood DNA methylation markers are associated with diabetic kidney disease progression in type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia. Published 22 January 2026. doi:10.
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