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Sample Preparation to Bioinformatics Analysis of DNA Methylation: Association Strategy for Obesity and Related Trait Studies
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Obesity and diabetes: from genetics to epigenetics
Ernesto Burgio1, Angela Lopomo, Lucia Migliore
1European Cancer and Environment Research Institute (ECERI), Brussels, Belgium, erburg@libero.it.
Molecular Biology Reports
|September 26, 2014
Summary
Environmental factors, including maternal nutrition and obesogens, significantly contribute to the obesity and type 2 diabetes pandemic. These factors can alter metabolic regulation through epigenetic changes, impacting offspring and future generations.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Syndrome
Background:
- Obesity and type 2 diabetes are epidemic health problems.
- Genetic factors explain limited individual risk for obesity.
- Environmental factors are increasingly recognized as primary drivers of obesity and diabetes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of environmental factors in obesity and diabetes.
- To investigate the impact of pre- and post-natal environments on metabolic regulation.
- To highlight the contribution of obesogens to the current pandemic.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent studies on environmental influences on metabolism.
- Analysis of epigenetic modifications (methylation, histone acetylation) in obesity.
- Examination of the role of endocrine disruptors (obesogens) in metabolic homeostasis.
Main Results:
- Maternal nutrition during pregnancy can epigenetically alter offspring metabolic phenotype across generations.
- Altered DNA methylation and histone acetylation levels are observed in genes related to metabolic processes in obesity.
- Obesogens, particularly endocrine disruptors, interfere with homeostatic mechanisms and are increasingly prevalent.
Conclusions:
- Environmental factors, including maternal nutrition and obesogens, play a critical role in the obesity and diabetes pandemic.
- Epigenetic mechanisms mediate the intergenerational effects of environmental exposures.
- Obesogen exposure is a likely significant contributor to the rising rates of obesity and diabesity.
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