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Research Article

ADRB3 gene promoter DNA methylation in blood and visceral adipose tissue is associated with metabolic disturbances in men

    Simon-Pierre Guay

    Department of Biochemistry, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

    ECOGENE-21 & Lipid Clinic, Chicoutimi Hospital, Saguenay, QC, Canada

    ,
    Diane Brisson

    ECOGENE-21 & Lipid Clinic, Chicoutimi Hospital, Saguenay, QC, Canada

    Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada

    ,
    Benoit Lamarche

    Institute of Nutrition & Functional Foods, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada

    ,
    Simon Biron

    Department of Surgery, Institut Universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada

    ,
    Odette Lescelleur

    Department of Surgery, Institut Universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada

    ,
    Laurent Biertho

    Department of Surgery, Institut Universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada

    ,
    Simon Marceau

    Department of Surgery, Institut Universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada

    ,
    Marie-Claude Vohl

    Institute of Nutrition & Functional Foods, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada

    Department of Molecular Endocrinology & Genomics, Centre hospitalier de l’Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada

    ,
    Daniel Gaudet

    ECOGENE-21 & Lipid Clinic, Chicoutimi Hospital, Saguenay, QC, Canada

    Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada

    &
    Luigi Bouchard

    Department of Biochemistry, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

    ECOGENE-21 & Lipid Clinic, Chicoutimi Hospital, Saguenay, QC, Canada

    Published Online:https://doi.org/10.2217/epi.13.82

    Aim:ADRB3 DNA hypermethylation was recently associated with dyslipidemia in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). In this study, we verified whether ADRB3 DNA methylation in blood and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was associated with obesity and its related complications. Methods: DNA methylation levels were measured in the blood of 61 FH men, and the blood and VAT of 30 severely obese men. Common ADRB3 polymorphisms were genotyped in all subjects. Results: Higher ADRB3 DNA methylation levels were significantly associated with lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (r = -0.40; p = 0.01) in FH, and with a lower waist-to-hip ratio (r = -0.55; p = 0.01) and higher blood pressure (r = 0.43; p = 0.05) in severely obese men. ADRB3 g.-843C>T and p.W64R polymorphisms were found to be strongly associated (p < 0.001) with ADRB3 DNA methylation and mRNA levels. Conclusion: Although further studies are needed, these results suggest that epigenetic changes at the ADRB3 gene locus might be involved in the development of obesity and its related metabolic complications.

    Papers of special note have been highlighted as:

    • of interest

    •• of considerable interest

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