Translational Genomics Research Institute scientists have identified how DNA methylation is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which can lead to cirrhosis and death, and is a leading indicator for liver transplant.
Insulin resistance and obesity are associated with fat accumulation in the liver, and obesity is a risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Researchers analyzed biopsied liver tissue of 29 Caucasian female patients with no history of drug or alcohol abuse that could be matched by sex, age, BMI, and type 2 diabetes which included: 14 obese patients with advanced cirrhosis or fibrosis of the liver, and 15 obese patients with normal livers using a City of Hope computer algorithm that was specifically designed for the task.
Researchers zeroed in on four genes which were methylated in this study and also in 3 previous similar studies, but not specifically focused on advance fibrosis in obese non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients: RBP5, AQP1, MGMT, and FGFR2. Findings showed evidence for differential DNA methylation between normal and fibrotic tissue samples.
Additional investigation is required to determine the extent to which DNA methylation patterns in liver are represented in other metabolically relevant tissues, which would be key to development of non-invasive biomarkers in creation of an early warning non-alcoholic fatty liver disease early warning system.
