Serum Cobalt Concentration and DNA Methylation Signatures in Women with Obesity
Natália Yumi Noronha,
Luísa Maria Diani,
Guilherme da Silva Rodrigues,
Isabela Harumi Yonehara Noma,
Vanessa Aparecida Batista Pereira,
Marcela Augusta de Souza Pinhel,
Lígia Moriguchi Watanabe,
Déborah Araújo Morais,
Fernando Barbosa,
Carla Barbosa Nonino
Affiliations
Natália Yumi Noronha
Department of Internal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Ribeirão Preto 14040-907, SP, Brazil
Luísa Maria Diani
Department of Internal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Ribeirão Preto 14040-907, SP, Brazil
Guilherme da Silva Rodrigues
Department of Internal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Ribeirão Preto 14040-907, SP, Brazil
Isabela Harumi Yonehara Noma
Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-220, SP, Brazil
Vanessa Aparecida Batista Pereira
Department of Health Sciences, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Ribeirão Preto 14040-907, SP, Brazil
Marcela Augusta de Souza Pinhel
Department of Internal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Ribeirão Preto 14040-907, SP, Brazil
Lígia Moriguchi Watanabe
Department of Health Sciences, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Ribeirão Preto 14040-907, SP, Brazil
Déborah Araújo Morais
Department of Clinical, Bromatological and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 14040-907, SP, Brazil
Fernando Barbosa
Department of Clinical, Bromatological and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 14040-907, SP, Brazil
Carla Barbosa Nonino
Department of Internal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Ribeirão Preto 14040-907, SP, Brazil
Obesity, a multifactorial disorder, has been associated with alterations in metal metabolismand epigenetic modifications. This pilot case–control study aimed to investigate serum cobalt concentrations and associated DNA methylation patterns in women with obesity. Serum cobalt levels were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), revealing significantly higher cobalt concentrations in participants with normal weight than in participants with obesity. Additionally, DNA methylation analysis identified differentially methylated positions (DMPs) associated with cobalt exposure, and DMPs between groups highlighted hypomethylation in the top DMPs in individuals with obesity. Functional enrichment analysis of these DMPs unveiled potential pathways implicated in apoptosis, cancer, and metabolic signaling, warranting further investigation into the mechanistic links. This study provides preliminary insights into the interplay between cobalt exposure, DNA methylation, and potential implications for obesity management.
