Fig. 1.

Gender-affirming hormone therapy model induced progressive change in blood DNA methylation. A Longitudinal GAHT model with blood collection at baseline (before hormone therapy), and 6 and 12 months after treatment. In total, samples from 13 transgender women and 13 transgender men were included in the study. B Number of differentially methylated probes (DMPs) with an unadjusted p value cut-off < 0.05 and a Δβ cut-off of ≥ 0.02. C Venn diagram showing the overlap between 6 and 12 m DMPs. D Boxplots of DNA methylation z-scores at DMPs that gain or lose DNA methylation at 12 months compared to baseline in transgender women. At 6 months, these probes show an intermediate level of DNA methylation. E Boxplots of DNA methylation z-scores at DMPs that gain or lose DNA methylation in transgender men