Alert: Cannabis Consumption Might Influence Your DNA Methylation

Northwestern Medicine research has uncovered a potential link between recent and chronic cannabis use and modifications in the human epigenome. The investigators discovered substantial epigenetic transformations by studying DNA methylation markers. While causation is not confirmed, the study paves the way for further investigation into cannabis’s epigenetic effects and potential health implications.

This connection between recent and chronic cannabis use and changes in the human epigenome was documented in a new study by Northwestern Medicine, published in Molecular Psychiatry.

Cannabis is the most commonly used drug in the U.S., with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing that approximately 48.2 million people, about 18% of the total U.S. population, had used it at least once in 2019, the most recent year with available data.

Despite widespread use and legalization in several states, the health implications of cannabis use remain unclear, according to Lifang Hou, MD, PhD, Chief of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention in the Department of Preventive Medicine and the study’s senior author.

Drew Nannini, DO, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Hou lab, was the study’s first author, which was published in Molecular Psychiatry. Credit: Northwestern Medicine

“Despite increasing acceptance and legalization in several states, we lack substantial studies on the impact of cannabis on epigenetic factors,” said Hou, who is also the Director of the Center for Global Oncology in the Robert J. Havey, MD, Institute for Global Health. “We had earlier found associations between cannabis use and the aging process via DNA methylation. We wanted to delve further into whether specific epigenetic factors are connected with cannabis use and if these factors correlate with health outcomes.”

The research involved the analysis of whole blood samples, taken five years apart, from participants of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. More than 900 adults’ data were included in the current research.

Each participant’s recent cannabis use and cumulative use were assessed, and their blood samples underwent DNA methylation profiling to uncover any associated epigenetic changes.

Scientists were able to connect cannabis use to changes in the human epigenome by studying modifications in DNA methylation, a biological process that adds methyl groups to DNA molecules, thereby altering gene expression.

According to the study, researchers found 22 and 31 DNA methylation markers linked to recent and cumulative cannabis use, respectively, from the first sample set, and 132 and 16 methylation markers from the second set.

Many of these epigenetic alterations were discovered in pathways previously associated with cell growth, hormone signaling, infections, and mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders, stated Hou.

Lifang Hou, MD, PhD, Chief of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention in the Department of Preventive Medicine, was the senior author of the study published in Molecular Psychiatry. Credit: Northwestern Medicine

“In our study, we found correlations between cumulative cannabis use and multiple epigenetic markers over time,” Hou remarked. “Interestingly, we consistently found one marker previously linked with tobacco use, indicating a potential common epigenetic regulation between tobacco and cannabis use. We also found associations between the observed cannabis markers and cell proliferation, infection, and psychiatric disorders. However, further studies are needed to corroborate and validate these findings.”

While the study doesn’t confirm a causal link between cannabis use and epigenetic changes, or between those epigenetic changes and observed health outcomes, the findings might be beneficial for future research into the epigenetic effects of cannabis use, said Drew Nannini, DO, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Hou lab and the study’s first author.

“This research has offered new insights into the relationship between cannabis use and epigenetic factors,” Nannini commented. “Further studies are required to verify if these associations persist in different populations. Moreover, examining the effect of cannabis on age-related health outcomes may offer more understanding of cannabis’s long-term health impacts.”

Reference: “Genome-wide DNA methylation association study of recent and cumulative marijuana use in middle-aged adults” by Drew R. Nannini, Yinan Zheng, Brian T. Joyce, Kyeezu Kim, Tao Gao, Jun Wang, David R. Jacobs, Pamela J. Schreiner, Kristine Yaffe, Philip Greenland, Donald M. Lloyd-Jones and Lifang Hou, 31 May 2023, Molecular Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02106-y

The study was financially supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in collaboration with the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute and Northwestern University. Additional funds were provided by American Heart Association grants 14SFRN20790000 and 17SFRN33700278, and National Institute on Aging grants R21AG063370, R21AG068955, R01AG081244, and R01AG069120.

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More about Cannabis and DNA methylation

• Northwestern Medicine
• Study Published in Molecular Psychiatry
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Marijuana Statistics
• Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
• American Heart Association
• National Institute on Aging