Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of heavy cannabis exposure in a New Zealand longitudinal cohort.

Cannabis use is of increasing public health interest globally. Here we examined the effect of heavy cannabis use, with and without tobacco, on genome-wide DNA methylation in a longitudinal birth cohort (Christchurch Health and Development Study, CHDS). A total of 48 heavy cannabis users were selected from the CHDS cohort, on the basis of their adult exposure to cannabis and tobacco, and DNA methylation assessed from whole blood samples, collected at approximately age 28.

Testing the thrifty gene hypothesis: the Gly482Ser variant in PPARGC1A is associated with BMI in Tongans.

Background: the thrifty gene hypothesis posits that, in populations that experienced periods of feast and famine, natural selection favoured individuals carrying thrifty alleles that promote the storage of fat and energy. Polynesians likely experienced long periods of cold stress and starvation during their settlement of the Pacific and today have high rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM), possibly due to past positive selection for thrifty alleles. Alternatively, T2DM risk alleles may simply have drifted to high frequency in Polynesians.

Metastatic susceptibility locus, an 8p hot-spot for tumour progression disrupted in colorectal liver metastases: 13 candidate genes examined at the DNA, mRNA and protein level.

Background: Mortality from colorectal cancer is mainly due to metastatic liver disease. Improved understanding of the molecular events underlying metastasis is crucial for the development of new methods for early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer. Loss of chromosome 8p is frequently seen in colorectal cancer and implicated in later stage disease and metastasis, although a single metastasis suppressor gene has yet to be identified.