- Wiencke, JK;
- Molinaro, Annette M;
- Warrier, Gayathri;
- Rice, Terri;
- Clarke, Jennifer;
- Taylor, Jennie W;
- Wrensch, Margaret;
- Hansen, Helen;
- McCoy, Lucie;
- Tang, Emily;
- Tamaki, Stan J;
- Tamaki, Courtney M;
- Nissen, Emily;
- Bracci, Paige;
- Salas, Lucas A;
- Koestler, Devin C;
- Christensen, Brock C;
- Zhang, Ze;
- Kelsey, Karl T
Assessing individual responses to glucocorticoid drug therapies that compromise immune status and affect survival outcomes in neuro-oncology is a great challenge. Here we introduce a blood-based neutrophil dexamethasone methylation index (NDMI) that provides a measure of the epigenetic response of subjects to dexamethasone. This marker outperforms conventional approaches based on leukocyte composition as a marker of glucocorticoid response. The NDMI is associated with low CD4 T cells and the accumulation of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells and also serves as prognostic factor in glioma survival. In a non-glioma population, the NDMI increases with a history of prednisone use. Therefore, it may also be informative in other conditions where glucocorticoids are employed. We conclude that DNA methylation remodeling within the peripheral immune compartment is a rich source of clinically relevant markers of glucocorticoid response.