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Chen Y, Kassam I, Lau SH, Kooner JS, Wilson R, Peters A, Winkelmann J, Chambers JC, Chow VT, Khor CC, van Dam RM, Teo YY, Loh M, Sim X. Impact of BMI and waist circumference on epigenome-wide DNA methylation and identification of epigenetic biomarkers in blood: an EWAS in multi-ethnic Asian individuals. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:195. [PMID: 34670603 PMCID: PMC8527674 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01162-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of obesity and its related chronic diseases have been increasing especially in Asian countries. Obesity-related genetic variants have been identified, but these explain little of the variation in BMI. Recent studies reported associations between DNA methylation and obesity, mostly in non-Asian populations. METHODS We performed an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) on general adiposity (body mass index, BMI) and abdominal adiposity (waist circumference, WC) in 409 multi-ethnic Asian individuals and replicated BMI and waist-associated DNA methylation CpGs identified in other populations. The cross-lagged panel model and Mendelian randomization were used to assess the temporal relationship between methylation and BMI. The temporal relationship between the identified CpGs and inflammation and metabolic markers was also examined. RESULTS EWAS identified 116 DNA methylation CpGs independently associated with BMI and eight independently associated with WC at false discovery rate PFDR < 0.05 in 409 Asian samples. We replicated 110 BMI-associated CpGs previously reported in Europeans and identified six novel BMI-associated CpGs and two novel WC-associated CpGs. We observed high consistency in association direction of effect compared to studies in other populations. Causal relationship analyses indicated that BMI was more likely to be the cause of DNA methylation alteration, rather than the consequence. The causal analyses using BMI-associated methylation risk score also suggested that higher levels of the inflammation marker IL-6 were likely the consequence of methylation change. CONCLUSION Our study provides evidence of an association between obesity and DNA methylation in multi-ethnic Asians and suggests that obesity can drive methylation change. The results also suggested possible causal influence that obesity-related methylation changes might have on inflammation and lipoprotein levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Chen
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 12 Science Drive 2, #10-01, Tahir Foundation Building, Singapore, 117549, Singapore
| | - Irfahan Kassam
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 12 Science Drive 2, #10-01, Tahir Foundation Building, Singapore, 117549, Singapore
- Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Suk Hiang Lau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jaspal S Kooner
- Department of Cardiology, Ealing Hospital, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, Middlesex, UK
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Rory Wilson
- Research Unit Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764, Neuherberg, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Annette Peters
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research, Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Juliane Winkelmann
- Institute of Neurogenomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University of Munich, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany
- Lehrstuhl Für Neurogenetik, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology, Munich, Germany
| | - John C Chambers
- Department of Cardiology, Ealing Hospital, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, Middlesex, UK
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Mandalay Road, Level 18, Lee Kong Chian Clinical Science Building, Singapore, 308232, Singapore
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Vincent T Chow
- National University Health System Infectious Diseases Translational Research Program, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chiea Chuen Khor
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rob M van Dam
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 12 Science Drive 2, #10-01, Tahir Foundation Building, Singapore, 117549, Singapore
- Department of Nutrition and Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yik-Ying Teo
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 12 Science Drive 2, #10-01, Tahir Foundation Building, Singapore, 117549, Singapore
- Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Marie Loh
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 11 Mandalay Road, Level 18, Lee Kong Chian Clinical Science Building, Singapore, 308232, Singapore.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- National Skin Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Xueling Sim
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, 12 Science Drive 2, #10-01, Tahir Foundation Building, Singapore, 117549, Singapore.
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Gomez-Alonso MDC, Kretschmer A, Wilson R, Pfeiffer L, Karhunen V, Seppälä I, Zhang W, Mittelstraß K, Wahl S, Matias-Garcia PR, Prokisch H, Horn S, Meitinger T, Serrano-Garcia LR, Sebert S, Raitakari O, Loh M, Rathmann W, Müller-Nurasyid M, Herder C, Roden M, Hurme M, Jarvelin MR, Ala-Korpela M, Kooner JS, Peters A, Lehtimäki T, Chambers JC, Gieger C, Kettunen J, Waldenberger M. DNA methylation and lipid metabolism: an EWAS of 226 metabolic measures. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:7. [PMID: 33413638 PMCID: PMC7789600 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-020-00957-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The discovery of robust and trans-ethnically replicated DNA methylation markers of metabolic phenotypes, has hinted at a potential role of epigenetic mechanisms in lipid metabolism. However, DNA methylation and the lipid compositions and lipid concentrations of lipoprotein sizes have been scarcely studied. Here, we present an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) (N = 5414 total) of mostly lipid-related metabolic measures, including a fine profiling of lipoproteins. As lipoproteins are the main players in the different stages of lipid metabolism, examination of epigenetic markers of detailed lipoprotein features might improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of metabolic disturbances. RESULTS We conducted an EWAS of leukocyte DNA methylation and 226 metabolic measurements determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the population-based KORA F4 study (N = 1662) and replicated the results in the LOLIPOP, NFBC1966, and YFS cohorts (N = 3752). Follow-up analyses in the discovery cohort included investigations into gene transcripts, metabolic-measure ratios for pathway analysis, and disease endpoints. We identified 161 associations (p value < 4.7 × 10-10), covering 16 CpG sites at 11 loci and 57 metabolic measures. Identified metabolic measures were primarily medium and small lipoproteins, and fatty acids. For apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins, the associations mainly involved triglyceride composition and concentrations of cholesterol esters, triglycerides, free cholesterol, and phospholipids. All associations for HDL lipoproteins involved triglyceride measures only. Associated metabolic measure ratios, proxies of enzymatic activity, highlight amino acid, glucose, and lipid pathways as being potentially epigenetically implicated. Five CpG sites in four genes were associated with differential expression of transcripts in blood or adipose tissue. CpG sites in ABCG1 and PHGDH showed associations with metabolic measures, gene transcription, and metabolic measure ratios and were additionally linked to obesity or previous myocardial infarction, extending previously reported observations. CONCLUSION Our study provides evidence of a link between DNA methylation and the lipid compositions and lipid concentrations of different lipoprotein size subclasses, thus offering in-depth insights into well-known associations of DNA methylation with total serum lipids. The results support detailed profiling of lipid metabolism to improve the molecular understanding of dyslipidemia and related disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Del C Gomez-Alonso
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Anja Kretschmer
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Rory Wilson
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Liliane Pfeiffer
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Ville Karhunen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ilkka Seppälä
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Fimlab Laboratories, and Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center, Tampere, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Weihua Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Cardiology, Ealing Hospital, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, London, Middlesex, UK
| | - Kirstin Mittelstraß
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Simone Wahl
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Pamela R Matias-Garcia
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Holger Prokisch
- Institute of Human Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sacha Horn
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Meitinger
- Institute of Human Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Luis R Serrano-Garcia
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- Chair of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Sylvain Sebert
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Olli Raitakari
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Marie Loh
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wolfgang Rathmann
- Institute for Biometrics and Epidemiology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Munich-Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martina Müller-Nurasyid
- Chair of Genetic Epidemiology, IBE, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics (IMBEI), University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55101, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christian Herder
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Munich-Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael Roden
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Munich-Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Mikko Hurme
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- UKMRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK
| | - Mika Ala-Korpela
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- NMR Metabolomics Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Computational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jaspal S Kooner
- Department of Cardiology, Ealing Hospital, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, London, Middlesex, UK
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Annette Peters
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Terho Lehtimäki
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Fimlab Laboratories, and Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center, Tampere, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - John C Chambers
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Cardiology, Ealing Hospital, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, London, Middlesex, UK
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Christian Gieger
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Johannes Kettunen
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Computational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Melanie Waldenberger
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstaedter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany.
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