BackgroundEnvironmental factors can influence obesity by epigenetic mechanisms. Adipose tissue plays a key role in obesity-related metabolic dysfunction, and gastric bypass provides a model to investigate obesity and weight loss in humans.ResultsHere, we investigate DNA methylation in adipose tissue from obese women before and after gastric bypass and significant weight loss. In total, 485,577 CpG sites were profiled in matched, before and after weight loss, subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue. A paired analysis revealed significant differential methylation in omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue. A greater proportion of CpGs are hypermethylated before weight loss and increased methylation is observed in the 3′ untranslated region and gene bodies relative to promoter regions. Differential methylation is found within genes associated with obesity, epigenetic regulation and development, such as CETP, FOXP2, HDAC4, DNMT3B, KCNQ1 and HOX clusters. We identify robust correlations between changes in methylation and clinical trait, including associations between fasting glucose and HDAC4, SLC37A3 and DENND1C in subcutaneous adipose. Genes investigated with differential promoter methylation all show significantly different levels of mRNA before and after gastric bypass.ConclusionsThis is the first study reporting global DNA methylation profiling of adipose tissue before and after gastric bypass and associated weight loss. It provides a strong basis for future work and offers additional evidence for the role of DNA methylation of adipose tissue in obesity.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-014-0569-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

ObjectivesExtracellular microRNAs represent functional biomarkers for obesity and related disorders; we investigated plasma microRNAs in insulin resistance phenotypes in obesity.Methods175 microRNA were analysed in females with (insulin sensitivity n=11; insulin resistance n=19; Type-II diabetes n=15) and without (n=12) obesity. Correlations between microRNA level and clinical parameters, and levels of 15 microRNA in a murine obesity model were investigated.Results106 microRNA were significantly (adjusted P≤0.05) different between controls and at least one obesity phenotype, including microRNAs with: previously reported roles in obesity and altered circulating levels (e.g. miR-122, miR-192); known roles in obesity but no reported changes in circulating level (e.g. miR-378a); no current reported role in, or association, with obesity (e.g. miR-28-5p, miR-374b, miR-32). miRNA in the latter group were found to be associated with extracellular vesicles. 48 microRNA showed significant correlations with clinical parameters; stepwise regression retained let-7b, miR-144-5p, miR-34a, and miR-532-5p in a model predictive of insulin resistance (R2 = 0.57, P=7.5 × 10-8). miR-378a and miR-122 were perturbed in metabolically relevant tissues in a murine model of obesity.ConclusionsThis study expands on the role of extracellular miRNA in insulin resistant phenotypes of obesity and identifies candidate miRNA not previously associated with obesity.

Our findings provide the first evidence for association of DNA methylation at HLA-DRB1 in relation to MS risk. Further studies are now warranted to validate and understand how these findings are involved in MS pathology.

BackgroundMortality from colorectal cancer is mainly due to metastatic liver disease. Improved understanding of the molecular events underlying metastasis is crucial for the development of new methods for early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer. Loss of chromosome 8p is frequently seen in colorectal cancer and implicated in later stage disease and metastasis, although a single metastasis suppressor gene has yet to be identified. We therefore examined 8p for genes involved in colorectal cancer progression.MethodsLoss of heterozygosity analyses were used to map genetic loss in colorectal liver metastases. Candidate genes in the region of loss were investigated in clinical samples from 44 patients, including 6 with matched colon normal, colon tumour and liver metastasis. We investigated gene disruption at the level of DNA, mRNA and protein using a combination of mutation, semi-quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemical analyses.ResultsWe mapped a 2 Mb region of 8p21-22 with loss of heterozygosity in 73% of samples; 8/11 liver metastasis samples had loss which was not present in the corresponding matched primary colon tumour. 13 candidate genes were identified for further analysis. Both up and down-regulation of 8p21-22 gene expression was associated with metastasis. ADAMDEC1 mRNA and protein expression decreased during both tumourigenesis and tumour progression. Increased STC1 and LOXL2 mRNA expression occurred during tumourigenesis. Liver metastases with low DcR1/TNFRSF10C mRNA expression were more likely to present with extrahepatic metastases (p = 0.005). A novel germline truncating mutation of DR5/TNFRSF10B was identified, and DR4/TNFRSF10A SNP rs4872077 was associated with the development of liver metastases (p = 0.02).ConclusionOur data confirm that genes on 8p21-22 are dysregulated during colorectal cancer progression. Interestingly, however, instead of harbouring a single candidate colorectal metastasis suppressor 8p21-22 appears to be a hot-spot for tumour progression, encoding at least 13 genes with a putative role in carcinoma development. Thus, we propose that this region of 8p comprises a metastatic susceptibility locus involved in tumour progression whose disruption increases metastatic potential.