DNA methylation-based predictors of metabolic traits in Scottish and Singaporean cohorts.

Exploring the molecular correlates of metabolic health measures may identify their shared and unique biological processes and pathways. Molecular proxies of these traits may also provide a more objective approach to their measurement. Here, DNA methylation (DNAm) data were used in epigenome-wide association studies (EWASs) and for training epigenetic scores (EpiScores) of six metabolic traits: body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, waist-hip ratio, and blood-based measures of glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total cholesterol in >17,000 volunteers from the Generation Scotland (GS) cohort.

DNAm scores for serum GDF15 and NT-proBNP levels associate with a range of traits affecting the body and brain.

Background: Plasma growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) and N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are cardiovascular biomarkers that associate with a range of diseases. Epigenetic scores (EpiScores) for GDF15 and NT-proBNP may provide new routes for risk stratification.

Results: In the Generation Scotland cohort (N ≥ 16,963), GDF15 levels were associated with incident dementia, ischaemic stroke and type 2 diabetes, whereas NT-proBNP levels were associated with incident ischaemic heart disease, ischaemic stroke and type 2 diabetes (all P < 0.

Methylome-wide studies of six metabolic traits.

Exploring the molecular correlates of metabolic health measures may identify the shared and unique biological processes and pathways that they track. Here, we performed epigenome-wide association studies (EWASs) of six metabolic traits: body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, waist-hip ratio (WHR), and blood-based measures of glucose, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and total cholesterol. We considered blood-based DNA methylation (DNAm) from >750,000 CpG sites in over 17,000 volunteers from the Generation Scotland (GS) cohort.

Epigenetic Contributions to Clinical Risk Prediction of Cardiovascular Disease.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is among the leading causes of death worldwide. The discovery of new omics biomarkers could help to improve risk stratification algorithms and expand our understanding of molecular pathways contributing to the disease. Here, ASSIGN-a cardiovascular risk prediction tool recommended for use in Scotland-was examined in tandem with epigenetic and proteomic features in risk prediction models in ≥12 657 participants from the Generation Scotland cohort.

Blood-based genome-wide DNA methylation correlations across body-fat- and adiposity-related biochemical traits.

The recent increase in obesity levels across many countries is likely to be driven by nongenetic factors. The epigenetic modification DNA methylation (DNAm) may help to explore this, as it is sensitive to both genetic and environmental exposures. While the relationship between DNAm and body-fat traits has been extensively studied, there is limited literature on the shared associations of DNAm variation across such traits.

Blood-based epigenome-wide analyses of 19 common disease states: A longitudinal, population-based linked cohort study of 18,413 Scottish individuals.

Background: DNA methylation is a dynamic epigenetic mechanism that occurs at cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) sites. Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) investigate the strength of association between methylation at individual CpG sites and health outcomes. Although blood methylation may act as a peripheral marker of common disease states, previous EWAS have typically focused only on individual conditions and have had limited power to discover disease-associated loci.

Refining epigenetic prediction of chronological and biological age.

Background: Epigenetic clocks can track both chronological age (cAge) and biological age (bAge). The latter is typically defined by physiological biomarkers and risk of adverse health outcomes, including all-cause mortality. As cohort sample sizes increase, estimates of cAge and bAge become more precise.

Metabolomic Investigation of Major Depressive Disorder Identifies a Potentially Causal Association With Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids.

Background: Metabolic differences have been reported between individuals with and without major depressive disorder (MDD), but their consistency and causal relevance have been unclear.

Methods: We conducted a metabolome-wide association study of MDD with 249 metabolomic measures available in the UK Biobank (n = 29,757). We then applied two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization and colocalization analysis to identify potentially causal relationships between each metabolite and MDD.

Sex differences in genetic architecture in the UK Biobank.

Males and females present differences in complex traits and in the risk of a wide array of diseases. Genotype by sex (GxS) interactions are thought to account for some of these differences. However, the extent and basis of GxS are poorly understood.

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ) in Spanish Colleges.

Emotional eating (EE) patterns have been shown to play a relevant role in the development of overweight problems. However, there is a gap in research aimed at validating questionnaires to assess EE in specific populations. The aim of the study was to analyze factor structure and psychometric properties of Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ) in Spanish universities.

Are Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, Emotional Eating, Alcohol Intake, and Anxiety Related in University Students in Spain?

Research has suggested that university students are at risk from certain unhealthy habits, such as poor diet or alcohol abuse. At the same time, anxiety levels appear to be higher among university students, which may lead to high levels of emotional eating. The aim of this study was to analyze the degree of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (AMD), emotional eating, alcohol intake, and anxiety among Spanish university students, and the interrelationship of these variables.

A Multiomics Study To Unravel the Effects of Developmental Exposure to Endosulfan in Rats: Molecular Explanation for Sex-Dependent Effects.

Exposure to low levels of environmental contaminants, including pesticides, induces neurodevelopmental toxicity. Environmental and food contaminants can reach the brain of the fetus, affecting brain development and leading to neurological dysfunction. The pesticide endosulfan is a persistent pollutant, and significant levels still remain detectable in the environment although its use is banned in some countries.