© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel 1661–6499/15/0081–0026$39.50/0 Original Paper J Nutrigenet Nutrigenomics 2015;8:26–35 Interleukin-6 CpG Methylation and Body Weight Correlate Differently in Type 2 Diabetes Patients Compared to Obese and Lean Controls Eva Aumueller a Marlene Remely a Hanna Baeck a Berit Hippe a Helmut Brath b Alexander G. Haslberger a a Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, and b Diabetes Outpatient Clinic, Health Care Centre South, Vienna, Austria Key Words Epigenetics · Inflammation · Diabetes mellitus type 2 · Interleukin-6 · Metabolic syndrome · Adiposity · CpG methylation Abstract Background/Aims: Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DMT2) is accompanied by systemic low-grade inflammation with elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is encoded by a gene (IL-6) previously shown to be regulated by DNA methylation. We investigated seven CpG sites in IL-6 in individuals with DMT2, obese individuals and lean controls. Further, the DMT2 group received the glucagon-like peptide 1 agonist liraglutide. Methods: Blood samples were taken at the beginning of the study and after 4 months. The DNA methylation was assessed using pyrosequencing. Results: Methylation levels at the CpG sites –664, –628 and +13 at the first sampling time point (T1) and at –666 and –664 at the second sampling time point (T2) cor- related negatively with initial body weight in the DMT2 group. We found positive correlations for the obese and the lean control group. In the obese group, CpG +27 methylation at T1 cor- related with initial body weight (r = 0.685; p = 0.014). In the lean group, CpG –664 at T1 (r = 0.874; p = 0.005) and CpG –628 at T2 (r = 0.632; p = 0.050) correlated with initial body weight. Conclusion: These findings are an informative basis for further studies to elucidate epigen- etic mechanisms underlying DMT2. Additionally, our results might provide starting points for the development of biomarkers for prevention and therapy strategies. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel Received: October 10, 2014 Accepted after revision: March 17, 2015 Published online: June 10, 2015 Dr. Alexander G. Haslberger Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna Althanstrasse 14/UZA 2/2D541 AT–1090 Vienna (Austria) E-Mail alexander.haslberger @ univie.ac.at www.karger.com/jnn DOI: 10.1159/000381714 Downloaded by: Verlag S. KARGER AG, BASEL 172.16.6.18 - 6/24/2015 1:40:47 PM