Global DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation might be biomarkers for obesity and associated comorbidities. Depending on the obesity treatment (diet or surgery), the DNA methylation patterns behave differently. Baseline SERPINE-1 methylation may be a predictor of weight loss values after bariatric surgery.
Four years after surgery, greater %EWL was associated with a better lipid profile. In addition, weight regain did not change the biochemical indicators of this patient series.
Background/objectives
Obesity has been associated with gene methylation regulation. Recent studies have shown that epigenetic signature plays a role in metabolic homeostasis after Roux-en Y gastric bypass (RYGB). To conduct a genome-wide epigenetic analysis in peripheral blood to investigate whether epigenetic changes following RYGB stem from weight loss or the surgical procedure per se.
Subjects/methods
By means of the Infinium Human Methylation 450 BeadChip array, global methylation was analyzed in blood of 24 severely obese women before and 6 months after RYGB and in 24 normal-weight women (controls).
Results
In blood cells, nine DMCpG sites showed low methylation levels before surgery, methylation levels increased after RYGB and neared the levels measured in the controls. Additionally, 44 CpG sites associated with the Wnt and p53 signaling pathways were always differently methylated in the severely obese patients as compared to the controls and were not influenced by RYGB. Finally, 1638 CpG sites related to inflammation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis presented distinct methylation in the post-surgery patients as compared to the controls.
Conclusion
Bariatric surgery per se acts on CpGs related to inflammation, angiogenesis, and endothelin-signaling. However, the gene cluster associated with obesity remains unchanged, suggesting that weight loss 6 months after RYGB surgery cannot promote this effect.
Graphical abstract
Electronic supplementary material
The online version of this article (10.1186/s12920-019-0522-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
We have demonstrated that after 6 months of bariatric surgery, there is significant increase in the UCP2 expression. Additionally, the expression of UCP2 and PLIN1 genes influences the resting metabolic rate in obese individuals and could predict the weight loss after bariatric surgery.
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