• Esra Tekcan, Nurten Kara, Hasan Murat Aydın, Ümmet Abur, and Mohsen Abbaszadeh.
• Ondokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology - Samsun, Turkey.
• Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2022 Sep 1; 68 (9): 1276-1281.

ObjectiveObesity, which causes many serious diseases, is increasing exponentially in childhood across the world. Epigenetic changes, as well as genetics, play an important role in the process of adipogenesis. Therefore, we aimed to examine the expression levels of obesity-related MicroRNA-130b and MicroRNA-146b and the methylation status of hypoxia factor 3A and interleukin-6 genes associated with obesity in children.MethodsThis study was performed with 98 individuals (49 obese children and 49 controls) whose DNA was isolated from peripheral blood. Gene promoter methylations were analyzed by methylation-specific Polymerase chain reaction. In addition, expression levels of MicroRNAs were determined by quantitative real-time Polymerase chain reaction in 30 children (15 obese children and 15 controls).ResultsMethylation status of interleukin-6 gene was 93.9% in obese children (n=46/49) and 100% (n=49/49) in control group (p>0.05). There was no methylation for hypoxia factor 3A gene (p>0.05). As a result of the study, there was no statistically significant difference in terms of methylation status for hypoxia factor 3A and interleukin-6 genes in the obese group compared to the control group. However, we found that expression levels of MicroRNA-130b (p<0.01) and MicroRNA-146b (p<0.001) were higher in the obese group.ConclusionsResults support that MicroRNA-130b and MicroRNA-146b are potential biomarkers for the prevention and early diagnosis of obesity. This is the first study on childhood obesity in the Middle Black Sea region of Turkey. We believe that the results obtained by expanding the studies in our country and neighboring countries will be more decisive.

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