Epigenetics in Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus: New Insights.

A long-term complication of obesity is the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Patients with T2D have been described as having epigenetic modifications. Epigenetics is the post-transcriptional modification of DNA or associated factors containing genetic information. These environmentally-influenced modifications, maintained during cell division, cause stable changes in gene expression. Epigenetic modifications of T2D are DNA methylation, acetylation, ubiquitylation, SUMOylation, and phosphorylation at the lysine residue at the amino terminus of histones, affecting DNA, histones, and non-coding RNA. DNA methylation has been shown in pancreatic islets, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and the liver. Furthermore, epigenetic changes have been observed in chronic complications of T2D, such as diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic neuropathy. Recently, a new drug has been developed which acts on bromodomains and extraterminal (BET) domain proteins, which operate like epigenetic readers and communicate with chromatin to make DNA accessible for transcription by inhibiting them. This drug (apabetalone) is being studied to prevent major adverse cardiovascular events in people with T2D, low HDL cholesterol, chronic kidney failure, and recent coronary events. This review aims to describe the relationship between obesity, long-term complications such as T2D, and epigenetic modifications and their possible treatments.

Gut microbiota and obesity: New insights.

Obesity is a pathology whose incidence is increasing throughout the world. There are many pathologies associated with obesity. In recent years, the influence of the microbiota on both health and pathological states has been known. There is growing information related to changes in the microbiome and obesity, as well as its associated pathologies. Changes associated with age, exercise, and weight changes have been described. In addition, metabolic changes associated with the microbiota, bariatric surgery, and fecal matter transplantation are described. In this review, we summarize the biology and physiology of microbiota in obese patients, its role in the pathophysiology of several disorders associated, and the emerging therapeutic applications of prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation.