Overweight and POMC methylation: epigenetic associations with adolescent depression
Abstract Introduction To evaluate whether BMI status influences POMC methylation levels and subsequently affects the course of adolescent depression. This study examined the relationship between the methylation levels of different CpG sites in the POMC gene and clinical symptoms across various BMI c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07162-y |
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| author | Ye Ye Jia-Hui Hu Xing-Yu Xiao Ting Ji Fei Wang Fu-Jun Jia Cai-Lan Hou |
| author_facet | Ye Ye Jia-Hui Hu Xing-Yu Xiao Ting Ji Fei Wang Fu-Jun Jia Cai-Lan Hou |
| author_sort | Ye Ye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction To evaluate whether BMI status influences POMC methylation levels and subsequently affects the course of adolescent depression. This study examined the relationship between the methylation levels of different CpG sites in the POMC gene and clinical symptoms across various BMI categories in adolescent depression. Methods A total of 108 adolescent patients with depressive disorders including 68 with unipolar depression and 40 with bipolar depression participated in the study. They were divided into three groups: 11 underweight individuals (BMI below the age-specific threshold), 75 normal-weight individuals (BMI within the defined normal range), and 22 overweight individuals (BMI between the overweight threshold and obesity threshold). Pyrosequencing methylation analysis was used to assess POMC gene promoter methylation levels Results Adolescents in the overweight group exhibited significantly lower methylation levels at CpG6 and CpG8 of the POMC gene compared to their normal-weight and underweight peers. Furthermore, methylation at these sites was associated with clinical and psychological indicators such as Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores. After adjusted for medication use, multivariate linear regression analysis revealed a negative correlation between CpG6 methylation levels and CTQ scores in overweight group. Conclusion This study shows the association between POMC methylation levels and depressive symptoms in adolescents across different BMI categories. The findings suggest a potential interaction between epigenetic mechanisms, depression and overweight providing a foundation for further mechanistic investigations. Trial registration Not applicable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4f0bab68c001462b8dbf84717bd34123 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-4f0bab68c001462b8dbf84717bd341232025-08-20T03:43:01ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2025-07-0125111010.1186/s12888-025-07162-yOverweight and POMC methylation: epigenetic associations with adolescent depressionYe Ye0Jia-Hui Hu1Xing-Yu Xiao2Ting Ji3Fei Wang4Fu-Jun Jia5Cai-Lan Hou6Guangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityLanzhou University Second HospitalInternal Medicine Department, Guangdong Women and Children HospitalGuangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityGuangdong Mental Health Center, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical UniversityAbstract Introduction To evaluate whether BMI status influences POMC methylation levels and subsequently affects the course of adolescent depression. This study examined the relationship between the methylation levels of different CpG sites in the POMC gene and clinical symptoms across various BMI categories in adolescent depression. Methods A total of 108 adolescent patients with depressive disorders including 68 with unipolar depression and 40 with bipolar depression participated in the study. They were divided into three groups: 11 underweight individuals (BMI below the age-specific threshold), 75 normal-weight individuals (BMI within the defined normal range), and 22 overweight individuals (BMI between the overweight threshold and obesity threshold). Pyrosequencing methylation analysis was used to assess POMC gene promoter methylation levels Results Adolescents in the overweight group exhibited significantly lower methylation levels at CpG6 and CpG8 of the POMC gene compared to their normal-weight and underweight peers. Furthermore, methylation at these sites was associated with clinical and psychological indicators such as Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores. After adjusted for medication use, multivariate linear regression analysis revealed a negative correlation between CpG6 methylation levels and CTQ scores in overweight group. Conclusion This study shows the association between POMC methylation levels and depressive symptoms in adolescents across different BMI categories. The findings suggest a potential interaction between epigenetic mechanisms, depression and overweight providing a foundation for further mechanistic investigations. Trial registration Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07162-yPOMCDepressionMethylationBMIOverweight |
| spellingShingle | Ye Ye Jia-Hui Hu Xing-Yu Xiao Ting Ji Fei Wang Fu-Jun Jia Cai-Lan Hou Overweight and POMC methylation: epigenetic associations with adolescent depression BMC Psychiatry POMC Depression Methylation BMI Overweight |
| title | Overweight and POMC methylation: epigenetic associations with adolescent depression |
| title_full | Overweight and POMC methylation: epigenetic associations with adolescent depression |
| title_fullStr | Overweight and POMC methylation: epigenetic associations with adolescent depression |
| title_full_unstemmed | Overweight and POMC methylation: epigenetic associations with adolescent depression |
| title_short | Overweight and POMC methylation: epigenetic associations with adolescent depression |
| title_sort | overweight and pomc methylation epigenetic associations with adolescent depression |
| topic | POMC Depression Methylation BMI Overweight |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07162-y |
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