High type I error and misrepresentations in search for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: response to Guerrero-Bosagna

Genome Biol. 2016 Jul 12;17(1):154. doi: 10.1186/s13059-016-0981-5.

Abstract

In a recent paper, we described our efforts in search for evidence supporting epigenetic transgenerational inheritance caused by endocrine disrupter chemicals. One aspect of our study was to compare genome-wide DNA methylation changes in the vinclozolin-exposed fetal male germ cells (n = 3) to control samples (n = 3), their counterparts in the next, unexposed, generation (n = 3 + 3) and also in adult spermatozoa (n = 2 + 2) in both generations. We reported finding zero common hits in the intersection of these four comparisons. In our interpretation, this result did not support the notion that DNA methylation provides a mechanism for a vinclozolin-induced transgenerational male infertility phenotype. In response to criticism by Guerrero-Bosagna regarding our statistical power in the above study, here we provide power calculations to clarify the statistical power of our study and to show the validity of our conclusions. We also explain here how our data is misinterpreted in the commentary by Guerrero-Bosagna by leaving out important data points from consideration.Please see related Correspondence article: xxx (13059_2016_982) and related Research article: http://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-015-0619-z.

Publication types

  • Letter
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • DNA Methylation / drug effects
  • DNA Methylation / genetics*
  • Embryonic Germ Cells / drug effects
  • Embryonic Germ Cells / metabolism
  • Endocrine Disruptors / toxicity*
  • Epigenesis, Genetic*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Oxazoles / toxicity*
  • Spermatozoa / drug effects
  • Spermatozoa / pathology

Substances

  • Endocrine Disruptors
  • Oxazoles
  • vinclozolin