Effects of PM Exposure on the Methylation of Clock Genes in A Population of Subjects with Overweight or Obesity

Paola Monti, Simona Iodice, Letizia Tarantini, Francesca Sacchi, Luca Ferrari, Massimiliano Ruscica, Massimiliano Buoli, Luisella Vigna, Angela Cecilia Pesatori and Valentina Bollati
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Paola Monti: Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
Simona Iodice: EPIGET—Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
Letizia Tarantini: EPIGET—Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
Francesca Sacchi: EPIGET—Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
Luca Ferrari: EPIGET—Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
Massimiliano Ruscica: Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Massimiliano Buoli: Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
Luisella Vigna: Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
Angela Cecilia Pesatori: Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
Valentina Bollati: EPIGET—Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: The expression of clock genes, regulating the synchronization of metabolic and behavioral processes with environmental light/dark cycles, is regulated by methylation and might be influenced by short-term exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM), especially in individuals that are hypersensitive to proinflammatory cues. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of PM 2.5 and PM 10 on the methylation profile of the clock genes ARNTL , CLOCK , CRY1 , CRY2 , PER1 , PER2 , and PER3 in a population of 200 women with obesity. A significant association between PM 10 exposure and the methylation of clock genes was found, namely, this was negative for PER2 gene and positive for the CLOCK , CRY1 , CRY2 , and PER3 genes. PM 2.5 was negatively associated with methylation of PER2 gene and positively with methylation of CRY2 gene. Evidence was observed for effect modification from body mass index (BMI) regarding the PER1 gene: as PM 2.5/10 increases, DNA methylation increases significantly for relatively low BMI values (BMI = 25), while it decreases in participants with severe obesity (BMI = 51). PM may therefore alter the epigenetic regulation of clock genes, possibly affecting circadian rhythms. Future studies are needed to clarify how alterations in clock gene methylation are predictive of disease development and how obesity can modulate the adverse health effects of PM.

Keywords: obesity; particulate matter; DNA methylation; clock genes; CLOCK; PER; ARNTL; CRY; circadian rhythms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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