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Systematic ReviewOpen Accesscc iconby iconnc iconnd icon

A systematic review of studies of DNA methylation in the context of a weight loss intervention

    Lucia Aronica,‡

    *Author for correspondence:

    E-mail Address: laronica@stanford.edu

    Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

    Authors contributed equally

    Search for more papers by this author

    ,
    A Joan Levine

    Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

    Authors contributed equally

    Search for more papers by this author

    ,
    Kevin Brennan

    Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

    ,
    Jeffrey Mi

    Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

    ,
    Christopher Gardner

    Department of Medicine, Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

    ,
    Robert W Haile

    Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

    &
    Megan P Hitchins

    Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

    Published Online:https://doi.org/10.2217/epi-2016-0182

    Aim: Obesity results from the interaction of genetic and environmental factors, which may involve epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation (DNAm). Materials & methods: We have followed the PRISMA protocol to select studies that analyzed DNAm at baseline and end point of a weight loss intervention using either candidate-locus or genome-wide approaches. Results: Six genes displayed weight loss associated DNAm across four out of nine genome-wide studies. Weight loss is associated with significant but small changes in DNAm across the genome, and weight loss outcome is associated with individual differences in baseline DNAm at several genomic locations. Conclusion: The identified weight loss associated DNAm markers, especially those showing reproducibility across different studies, warrant validation by further studies with robust design and adequate power.

    Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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