Edematous Severe Acute Malnutrition is Characterized by Hypomethylation of DNA
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ABSTRACT: A slower transmethylation of one-carbon substrates in the edematous form of severe acute malnutrition (ESAM) suggests that downstream aberrations in DNA methylation could drive differences in acute pathogenesis between ESAM and non-edematous malnutrition (NESAM). Here, we integrate genome-wide assessments of DNA methylation with corresponding gene expression profiles and sequence variation to show that relative to NESAM, acute ESAM is characterized by significant hypomethylation at 99% of differentially methylated loci in two SAM cohorts, whereas recovered adults show no significant differences in methylation. Hypomethylated loci correlate with both up- and down-regulation of proximal genes, which are associated with the clinical sub-phenotypes of kwashiorkor and enriched for GWAS hits linked to over-nutrition, including fatty liver and diabetes. Methylation at these loci also appears to be influenced by nearby genetic variation in a manner that varies with nutritional status. Our findings implicate epigenetic and genetic variation in ESAM pathophysiology and support methyl-group supplementation in ESAM management.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE112893 | GEO | 2019/10/11
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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