Nasal microbiome linked to modest nasal epigenome variation

What the study found: The nasal microbiome, meaning the community of microorganisms in the nose, was associated with small-to-modest variation in the nasal epigenome, meaning chemical changes that affect how genes are regulated.

Why the authors say this matters: The authors conclude that future research is needed to examine how environmental exposures affect the relationship between the nasal microbiome and epigenome, and to study the health effects of microbial and epigenetic variation in early life and across the life course.

What the researchers tested: This research article examined the interplay of the nasal microbiome and epigenome among adolescents.

What worked and what didn't: The findings support the hypothesis that the nasal microbiome is associated with small-to-modest variation in the nasal epigenome. The abstract does not report other specific results.

What to keep in mind: The available summary does not describe the study design, sample size, measures, or limitations in detail.

Key points

• The nasal microbiome was associated with small-to-modest variation in the nasal epigenome.
• The authors say future research should examine the role of environmental exposures.
• The authors also call for study of health effects in early life and across the life course.
• The article focuses on adolescents.
• No detailed methods, sample size, or limitations are provided in the abstract.