Age and Obesity Promote Methylation and Suppression of 5-Alpha Reductase

Science Other Studies
#1

I thought this study was interesting. If we find less than definitive answers down the line, this might be an example of why you start to look at everything. Meaning a life or health issue triggered by but not restricted to the drug itself.

Age and Obesity Promote Methylation and Suppression of 5-Alpha Reductase 2–Implications for Personalized Therapy in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

We found that both BMI and age independently predict increased 5AR2 gene methylation as well as decreased 5AR2 protein expression in BPH specimens of symptomatic men. While 5AR2 has been previously thought to be ubiquitously expressed in order to drive prostatic growth similar to its function in embryologic development,18, 19 our work suggests that 5AR2 protein expression in the adult prostate is variable and may be intimately connected to widespread epigenetic changes that occur with obesity and aging.

3 Likes
#2

“Increasing BMI is associated with increased global methylation of genes associated with obesity in subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue.24, 25 Interestingly, after undergoing gastric bypass and significant weight loss, patients experience a global decrease in gene methylation. A similar study found that weight loss after gastric bypass leads to hypomethylation of genes in skeletal muscle involved in metabolic processes and mitochondrial function, highlighting the dynamic nature of epigenetic modifications.26 These studies suggest that an individual’s own internal environment is influenced by changes in total body weight and its associated epigenetic signature.”

2 Likes
#3

So lose weight? Is that the conclusion to make?

#4

Lol. Well I’d like that conclusion. I lost a total of 25% of body weight, mostly fat, since I’ve been on the carnivore / keto diet.

I hope we don’t need a gastric bypass, then I’d be screwed !

#5

Well, presumably the help comes from not having excess weight hanging off you, not major surgery!

#6

I agree. It’s weird they made the study based on gastric bypasses instead of just plain weight loss.

Anyway, it’s great news ! It means it’s possible to decrease gene methylation.

If the disease in solely epigenetic, than there’s a general direction we should be aiming for.

1 Like
#7

My takeaway is that many diseases as common as obesity or even the aging process itself can induce or cause epigenetic changes that could mimic similar changes caused by drug exposure. So in turn you might look at many diseases and the aging process itself when looking for a solution.

A few quick examples, and yes its a fruit fly, but they dont study these flies because they care about the fly.

The interplay between immunity and aging in Drosophila

Preventing Age-Related Decline of Gut
Compartmentalization Limits Microbiota Dysbiosis
and Extends Lifespan
https://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/pdfExtended/S1931-3128(16)30007-5

1 Like
#8

Very true, I do feel old.