Exercise training and DNA methylation profile in post-bariatric women: Results from an exploratory study

Carolina F Nicoletti; Hamilton Roschel; Carlos Merege-Filho; Alisson P Lima; Saulo Gil; Marcela A S Pinhel; Natalia Y Noronha; Marco A Santo; Amalia Jacome; Ana B Crujeiras; Bruno Gualano; Carla B Nonino

doi:10.3389/fspor.2023.1092050

Exercise training and DNA methylation profile in post-bariatric women: Results from an exploratory study

Front Sports Act Living. 2023 Feb 8:5:1092050. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1092050. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirão preto, Brazil.
² Applied Physiology & Nutrition Research Group, School of Physical Educaton and Sport, Rheumatology Division, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao paulo, Brazil.
³ Laboratory of Studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Molecular Biology, São José do Rio Preto Medical School, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Digestive Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
⁵ Department of Mathematics, MODES Group, CITIC, Universidade da Coruña, Faculty of Science, A coruña, Spain.
⁶ Epigenomics in Endocrinology and Nutrition, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IDIS), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago (CHUS) and Santiago de Compostela University (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain, CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBERobn), Madrid, Spain.
⁷ Department of Health Science, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirão preto, Brazil.

Abstract

Exercise training and bariatric surgery have been shown to independently modulate DNA methylation profile in clusters of genes related to metabolic and inflammatory pathways. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a 6-month exercise training program on DNA methylation profile in women who underwent bariatric surgery. In this exploratory, quasi-experimental study, we analyzed DNA methylation levels by array technology in eleven women who underwent Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and a 6-month, three-times-a-week, supervised exercise training program. Epigenome Wide Association Analysis showed 722 CpG sites with different methylation level equal to or greater than 5% (P < 0.01) after exercise training. Some of these CpGs sites were related to pathophysiological mechanisms of inflammation, specially Th17 cell differentiation (FDR value < 0.05 and P < 0.001). Our data showed epigenetic modification in specific CpG sites related to Th17 cell differentiation pathway in post-bariatric women following a 6-months exercise training program.

Keywords: DNA methylation; epigenetic; exercise program; obesity; th7 cell differentiation.

Grants and funding

This study was supported by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) (grants #2015/18669–0, #2016/05638–1, #2017/13552–2) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pesquisa de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES (grant #88887.473556/2020–00).