Epigenome-wide association study in peripheral white blood cells involving insulin resistance

Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 21;9(1):2445. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-38980-2.

Abstract

Insulin resistance (IR) is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiometabolic risk. An epigenetic phenomena such as DNA methylation might be involved in the onset and development of systemic IR. The aim of this study was to explore the genetic DNA methylation levels in peripheral white blood cells with the objective of identifying epigenetic signatures associated with IR measured by the Homeostatic Model Assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) following an epigenome-wide association study approach. DNA methylation levels were assessed using Infinium Methylation Assay (Illumina), and were associated with HOMA-IR values of participants from the Methyl Epigenome Network Association (MENA) project, finding statistical associations for at least 798 CpGs. A stringent statistical analysis revealed that 478 of them showed a differential methylation pattern between individuals with HOMA-IR ≤ 3 and > 3. ROC curves of top four CpGs out of 478 allowed differentiating individuals between both groups (AUC≈0.88). This study demonstrated the association between DNA methylation in some specific CpGs and HOMA-IR values that will help to the understanding and in the development of new strategies for personalized approaches to predict and prevent IR-associated diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cohort Studies
  • CpG Islands / genetics
  • DNA Methylation
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / genetics
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Epigenome*
  • Epigenomics / methods
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Genome-Wide Association Study / methods*
  • Humans
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Insulin Resistance / genetics*
  • Leukocytes / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Metabolic Networks and Pathways / genetics
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Insulin