Metabolism through DNA methylation, influenced by lifestyle

Researchers from Helmholtz Zentrum München proved that DNA presents traces caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. This study was published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics. Biochemical alterations to the DNA are associated with lifestyle factors like diet or smoking, environmental influences and aging processes.

Scientists of the Institute of Genetic Epidemiology (IGE) and the Research Unit Molecular Epidemiology (AME) at Helmholtz Zentrum München are trying to identify the association between epigenetic processes and health consequences. The group of researchers, led by Christian Gieger and Melanie Waldenberger, in collaboration with Karsten Suhre of Weill Cornell Medical College, situated in Quatar analyzed the blood samples of 1,800 participants in this study. The final results prove that methylation affects important metabolic processes.

“This study gives us new insights into how lifestyle factors can influence metabolism via the resulting alterations in the DNA”, said Gieger, research group leader at the IGE. “We can now use these results to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes”.