Project description:Background/Objectives: Obese subjects have increased number of enlarged fat cells which are reduced in size but not number in post-obesity. We performed DNA methylation profiling in fat cells with the aim of identifying differentially methylated DNA sites (DMS) linked to adipose hyperplasia (many small fat cells) in post-obesity. Subjects/Methods: Genome-wide DNA methylation was analyzed in abdominal subcutaneous fat cells from 16 women examined two years after gastric bypass surgery at a post-obese state (BMI 26±2 kg/m2, mean±s.d.) and 14 never-obese women (BMI 25±2 kg/m2). Gene expression was analyzed in subcutaneous adipose tissue from 9 women in each group. In a secondary analysis, we examined DNA methylation and expression of adipogenesis genes in 15 and 11 obese women, respectively. Results: The average degree of DNA methylation of all analyzed CpG-sites was lower in fat cells from post-obese as compared to never-obese women (P=0.014). 8,504 CpG sites were differentially methylated in fat cells from post-obese versus never-obese women (false discovery rate 1%). DMS were under-represented in CpG-islands and surrounding shores. The 8,504 DMS mapped to 3,717 unique genes; these genes were over-represented in cell differentiation pathways. Notably, 27% of genes linked to adipogenesis (i.e. 35 of 130) displayed DMS (adjusted P=10−8) in post-obese versus never-obese women. Next, we explored DNA methylation and expression of genes linked to adipogenesis in more detail in adipose tissue samples. DMS annotated to adipogenesis genes were not accompanied by differential gene expression in post-obese compared to never-obese women. In contrast, adipogenesis genes displayed differential DNA methylation accompanied by altered expression in obese women, Conclusions: Global CpG hypomethylation and overrepresentation of DMS in adipogenesis genes in fat cells may contribute to adipose hyperplasia in post-obese women. Post obese=16, Control group=14.

Project description:Background Obesity is associated with changes in fat cell gene expression and metabolism. What drives these changes is not well understood. We aimed to explore fat cell epigenetics, i.e., DNA methylation, as one mediator of gene regulation, in obese women. The global DNA methylome for abdominal subcutaneous fat cells was compared between 15 obese case (BMI 41.4 ± 4.4 kg/m 2 , mean ± SD) and 14 never-obese control women (BMI 25.2 ± 2.5 kg/m 2 ). Global array-based transcriptome analysis was analyzed for subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) from 11 obese and 9 never-obese women. Limma was used for statistical analysis. Results We identified 5529 differentially methylated DNA sites (DMS) for 2223 differentially expressed genes between obese cases and never-obese controls (false discovery rate <5 %). The 5529 DMS displayed a median difference in beta value of 0.09 (range 0.01 to 0.40) between groups. DMS were under-represented in CpG islands and in promoter regions, and over-represented in open sea-regions and gene bodies. The 2223 differentially expressed genes with DMS were over-represented in key fat cell pathways: 31 of 130 (25 %) genes linked to “adipogenesis” (adjusted P = 1.66 × 10 −11 ), 31 of 163 (19 %) genes linked to “insulin signaling” (adjusted P = 1.91 × 10 −9 ), and 18 of 67 (27 %) of genes linked to “lipolysis” (P = 6.1 × 10 −5 ). In most cases, gene expression and DMS displayed reciprocal changes in obese women. Furthermore, among 99 candidate genes in genetic loci associated with body fat distribution in genome-wide association studies (GWAS); 22 genes displayed differential expression accompanied by DMS in obese versus never-obese women (P = 0.0002), supporting the notion that a significant proportion of gene loci linked to fat distribution are epigenetically regulated. Conclusions Subcutaneous WAT from obese women is characterized by congruent changes in DNA methylation and expression of genes linked to generation, distribution, and metabolic function of fat cells. These alterations may contribute to obesity-associated metabolic disturbances such as insulin resistance in women. The global DNA methylome in abdominal subcutaneous fat cells was compared between 15 obese cases (BMI 41.4±4.4 kg/m2, mean ± SD) and 14 never-obese control women (BMI 25.2±2.5 kg/m2).

Project description:Background Obesity is associated with changes in fat cell gene expression and metabolism. What drives these changes is not well understood. We aimed to explore fat cell epigenetics, i.e., DNA methylation, as one mediator of gene regulation, in obese women. The global DNA methylome for abdominal subcutaneous fat cells was compared between 15 obese case (BMI 41.4 ± 4.4 kg/m 2 , mean ± SD) and 14 never-obese control women (BMI 25.2 ± 2.5 kg/m 2 ). Global array-based transcriptome analysis was analyzed for subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) from 11 obese and 9 never-obese women. Limma was used for statistical analysis. Results We identified 5529 differentially methylated DNA sites (DMS) for 2223 differentially expressed genes between obese cases and never-obese controls (false discovery rate <5 %). The 5529 DMS displayed a median difference in beta value of 0.09 (range 0.01 to 0.40) between groups. DMS were under-represented in CpG islands and in promoter regions, and over-represented in open sea-regions and gene bodies. The 2223 differentially expressed genes with DMS were over-represented in key fat cell pathways: 31 of 130 (25 %) genes linked to “adipogenesis” (adjusted P = 1.66 × 10 −11 ), 31 of 163 (19 %) genes linked to “insulin signaling” (adjusted P = 1.91 × 10 −9 ), and 18 of 67 (27 %) of genes linked to “lipolysis” (P = 6.1 × 10 −5 ). In most cases, gene expression and DMS displayed reciprocal changes in obese women. Furthermore, among 99 candidate genes in genetic loci associated with body fat distribution in genome-wide association studies (GWAS); 22 genes displayed differential expression accompanied by DMS in obese versus never-obese women (P = 0.0002), supporting the notion that a significant proportion of gene loci linked to fat distribution are epigenetically regulated. Conclusions Subcutaneous WAT from obese women is characterized by congruent changes in DNA methylation and expression of genes linked to generation, distribution, and metabolic function of fat cells. These alterations may contribute to obesity-associated metabolic disturbances such as insulin resistance in women.

Project description:BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with changes in fat cell gene expression and metabolism. What drives these changes is not well understood. We aimed to explore fat cell epigenetics, i.e., DNA methylation, as one mediator of gene regulation, in obese women. The global DNA methylome for abdominal subcutaneous fat cells was compared between 15 obese case (BMI 41.4?±?4.4 kg/m(2), mean?±?SD) and 14 never-obese control women (BMI 25.2?±?2.5 kg/m(2)). Global array-based transcriptome analysis was analyzed for subcutaneous white adipose tissue (WAT) from 11 obese and 9 never-obese women. Limma was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: We identified 5529 differentially methylated DNA sites (DMS) for 2223 differentially expressed genes between obese cases and never-obese controls (false discovery rate <5 %). The 5529 DMS displayed a median difference in beta value of 0.09 (range 0.01 to 0.40) between groups. DMS were under-represented in CpG islands and in promoter regions, and over-represented in open sea-regions and gene bodies. The 2223 differentially expressed genes with DMS were over-represented in key fat cell pathways: 31 of 130 (25 %) genes linked to "adipogenesis" (adjusted P?=?1.66?×?10(-11)), 31 of 163 (19 %) genes linked to "insulin signaling" (adjusted P?=?1.91?×?10(-9)), and 18 of 67 (27 %) of genes linked to "lipolysis" (P?=?6.1?×?10(-5)). In most cases, gene expression and DMS displayed reciprocal changes in obese women. Furthermore, among 99 candidate genes in genetic loci associated with body fat distribution in genome-wide association studies (GWAS); 22 genes displayed differential expression accompanied by DMS in obese versus never-obese women (P?=?0.0002), supporting the notion that a significant proportion of gene loci linked to fat distribution are epigenetically regulated. CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous WAT from obese women is characterized by congruent changes in DNA methylation and expression of genes linked to generation, distribution, and metabolic function of fat cells. These alterations may contribute to obesity-associated metabolic disturbances such as insulin resistance in women.

Project description:Objective: Abdominal adiposity is strongly associated with diabetic and cardiovascular comorbidities. The long non-coding RNA HOTAIR (HOX Transcript Antisense Intergenic RNA) is an important epigenetic regulator, with fat depot-specific expression between abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and gluteal SAT. HOTAIR locates closely with HOXC13, known to strongly associated with human fat distribution. Here, we examined the phenotypic effects of HOTAIR overexpression on abdominal adipogenesis, and hypothesized that HOTAIR-mediated DNA methylation is correlated with transcriptome changes, leading to the regulation of specific genes and the functional pathways. Methods: The expression level of HOTAIR was compared among different fat-depots collected from six healthy, five severe obese, and five uremic subjects, and was correlated with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) defined regional adiposity. The human immortalized preadipocyte was used to assess the phenotypic effects of HOTAIR overexpression on abdominal adipogenesis. The integrative analysis of reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) and RNA-sequencing was performed to identify putative genes that are epigenetically regulated by HOTAIR, and the associated signaling pathways. HOTAIR-repressed genes were further validated using RNA/chromatin immunoprecipitation with real-time qPCR and correlated with human body fat distribution. Results: We found that the expression of HOTAIR was high in gluteal SAT, and low in arm/abdominal SAT and visceral (omental) adipose tissue. It could be aberrantly increased in uremic arm SAT. Notably, in severe obese subjects we found that HOTAIR is lowly expressed in abdominal SAT correlating with a higher abdominal adiposity, whereas in uremic patients HOTAIR is highly expressed in arm SAT correlating with lower arm adiposity. HOTAIR overexpression in human immortalized abdominal preadipocyte remarkably suppresses the in vitro adipogenesis. Overall the differentially methylated genes were functionally enriched for nervous system development. We specifically identified 10 HOTAIR-mediated genes showing strong changes of DNA methylation associated with gene expression during abdominal adipogenesis, suggesting potential epigenetic regulation. Two HOTAIR-repressed genes, SLITRK4 and PITPNC1, were further highlighted and validated; presenting an obesity-driven fat-depot specific expression pattern positively correlated with the central body fat distribution. Conclusions: Our study indicated that HOTAIR is an important regulator for abdominal adipogenesis via intricate DNA methylation likely to associate with transcriptional regulation of specific genes, such as SLITRK4 and PITPNC1.

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The fat cell epigenetic signature in post-obese women is characterized by global hypomethylation and differential DNA methylation of adipogenesis genes

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