Epigenetic age profiling of menstrual blood collected using long-term stored Q-Pads
Alegret-García A, Caceres A, Bustamante M, et al.Research Square · 2026DOI 10.21203/rs.3.rs-10393569/v1
Preprint. Not yet peer reviewed, so treat the findings as early results.
In plain language
Researchers at ISGlobal and the Hospital del Mar Research Institute in Barcelona, with Qvin co-authors, extracted DNA from 16 Q-Strips that had been stored at room temperature for more than two years. Ten gave genome-wide DNA methylation profiles that passed quality control. In the samples with a reported age, the Horvath epigenetic clock had a mean absolute error of 2.2 years (Spearman ρ = 0.965). X-chromosome methylation markers could also be read. A small pilot, not yet peer reviewed.
Key numbers
- 2+ years
- Q-Strips stored at room temperature
- 10 of 16
- Samples gave methylation profiles that passed quality control
- 2.2 years
- Mean error of the Horvath clock versus reported age
What it means
DNA on a dried menstrual sample can survive years at room temperature well enough for genome-wide methylation work, which matters for biobanks. This is a small preprint, not yet peer reviewed, so treat it as an early signal.
What it does not show
A 16-sample feasibility pilot (about nine usable samples with age) using leftover strips from one study, with variable DNA yield and self-reported ages; it is not peer reviewed and does not measure reproductive aging or show a clinical use.
How to cite
Alegret-García A, Caceres A, Bustamante M, Muñoz-Aguayo D, Naseri S, Weinberg B, et al. Epigenetic age profiling of menstrual blood collected using long-term stored Q-Pads. Research Square (preprint). 2026. doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-10393569/v1