DNA Hypomethylation as a Potential Link between Excessive Alcohol Intake and Cardiometabolic Dysfunction in Morbidly Obese Adults
Imaduddin Mirza,
Dina Naquiallah,
Ariej Mohamed,
Uzma Abdulbaseer,
Chandra Hassan,
Mario Masrur,
Mohamed M. Ali,
Shane A. Phillips,
Abeer M. Mahmoud
Affiliations
Imaduddin Mirza
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Dina Naquiallah
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Ariej Mohamed
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Uzma Abdulbaseer
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Chandra Hassan
Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Mario Masrur
Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Mohamed M. Ali
Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Health Sciences, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Shane A. Phillips
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Abeer M. Mahmoud
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
A large percentage of obese patients in the United States suffer a comorbid substance use disorder, mainly alcohol use. Alcohol consumption interferes with the absorption of dietary methyl donors such as folate required for the one-carbon metabolism pathway and subsequently for DNA methylation. In this study, we assessed the association between alcohol consumption and DNA methylation in obese subjects. We obtained visceral adipose tissue (VAT) biopsies from bariatric patients. DNA methylation of 94 genes implicated in inflammation and immunity were analyzed in VAT in relation to alcohol consumption data obtained via questionnaires. Vasoreactivity was measured in the brachial artery and the VAT-isolated arterioles. Pro-inflammatory genes were significantly hypomethylated in the heavy drinking category correlating with higher levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines. Alcohol consumption correlated positively with body mass index (BMI), fat percentage, insulin resistance, impaired lipid profile, and systemic inflammation and negatively with plasma folate and vitamin B12, inflammatory gene DNA methylation, and vasoreactivity. In conclusion, these data suggest that alcohol intake is associated with lower DNA methylation and higher inflammation and cardiometabolic risk in obese individuals.
