Changes in SCD gene DNA methylation after bariatric surgery in morbidly obese patients are associated with free fatty acids

Stearoyl CoA Desaturase-1 (SCD) is considered as playing an important role in the explanation of obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the DNA methylation SCD gene promoter is associated with the metabolic improvement in morbidly obese patients after bariatric surgery. The study included 120 subjects with morbid obesity who underwent a laparoscopic Roux-en Y gastric by-pass (RYGB) and a control group of 30 obese subjects with a similar body mass index (BMI) to that found in morbidly obese subjects six months after RYGB. Fasting blood samples were obtained before and at six months after RYGB. DNA methylation was measured by pyrosequencing technology. DNA methylation levels of the SCD gene promoter were lower in morbidly obese subjects before bariatric surgery but increased after RYGB to levels similar to those found in the control group. Changes of DNA methylation SCD gene were associated with the changes of free fatty acids levels (r = −0.442, p = 0.006) and HOMA-IR (r = −0.249, p = 0.035) after surgery. RYGB produces an increase in the low SCD methylation promoter levels found in morbidly obese subjects. This change of SCD methylation levels is associated with changes in FFA and HOMA-IR.