Epigenome-wide analysis in West Africans identifies DNA methylation markers for circulating adiponectin

Adiponectin is a circulating adipokine involved in energy metabolism and inflammation, with reported protective effects against cardiometabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) and early kidney disease. However, its regulation remains poorly understood. This study aimed to identify epigenetic loci associated with adiponectin levels.

DNA methylation was profiled using Illumina 450K and EPIC (850K) arrays in 315 Ghanaians (RODAM-Pros study) and 593 Nigerians (AADM study). Differentially methylated positions (DMPs) were identified using linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, BMI, blood cell proportions, and technical covariates. Analyses were stratified by T2D status and cohort, then meta-analysed to identify DMPs associated with adiponectin across T2D status (combining participants with-and-without diabetes). RNA-seq data on 77 blood, 49 subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and 55 skeletal muscle samples from the AADM study were used to identify eQTMs for identified DMPs.

We identified three epigenome-wide significant DMPs: cg03546163 (Z-score = 5.76, p ≤ 0.001, 5'UTR of FKBP5), cg02561343 (Z-score = 5.11, p ≤ 0.001, within UST), and cg23969380 (Z-score = 5.13, p ≤ 0.001, ADGRD1 body). cg03546163 was an eQTM for PLA2G12B in SAT (beta = -0.039, FDR = 0.047), cg02561343 for PSMD8 (beta = -11.85, FDR = 0.029) and TECR (beta = -9.48, FDR = 0.029) in SAT, and cg23969380 for HIGD2AP1 (beta = -0.095, FDR = 0.024) in blood. These genes have been reported to be involved in lipid metabolism (PLA2G12B and TECR), proteasomal degradation (PSMD8), and cellular stress-responses (HIGD2AP1).

This epigenome-wide study of adiponectin in sub-Saharan African populations identified DNA methylation loci potentially involved in adiponectin regulation through lipid-metabolism, inflammation, proteostasis, and stress-response pathways. These findings provide a foundation for replication and further investigation to improve understanding of the role of adiponectin in cardiometabolic-health.

National Institutes of Health and European Research Council.