The epigenetic signature of systemic insulin resistance in obese women [SC]

Impaired ability of insulin to stimulate cellular glucose uptake and regulate metabolism, that is insulin resistance (IR), links adiposity to metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes (T2D), dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease (Langenberg, 2012). Both genetic and epigenetic factors are implicated in development of systemic IR (Vaag, 2001). IR is characterized by elevated levels of fasting insulin in the general circulation. The aim of this study is to explore whether white adipose tissue (WAT) epigenetic dysregulation is associated with systemic IR by global CpG methylation and gene expression profiling in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue. A secondary aim is to determine whether the DNA methylation signature in peripheral blood mononuclear cells reflect WAT methylation, and can be used as marker for systemic IR. DNA methylation was analyzed in DNA extracted from SAT (subcutaneous adipose tissue) and VAT (visceral adipose tissue) pieces, as well as PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells), using the Infinium Human Methylation 450 BeadChip assay. This data is from SAT.