Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41793944›Full record

ArticleEBioMedicine2026

Epigenome-wide analysis in West Africans identifies DNA methylation markers for circulating adiponectin.

Muhulo Muhau Mungamba, Johanna Wijburg, Eva L van der Linden, Felix P Chilunga, Ayo P Doumatey, Amy R Bentley, Charles F Hayfron-Benjamin, Constance R Sewani-Rusike, Benedicta N Nkeh-Chungag, Rexford S Ahima and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in EBioMedicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Muhulo Muhau MungambaDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa. Electronic address: m.m.mungamba@amsterdamumc.nl.
Johanna WijburgDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Eva L van der LindenDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Felix P ChilungaDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Ayo P DoumateyCenter for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Amy R BentleyCenter for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Charles F Hayfron-BenjaminDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Departments of Physiology and Anaesthesia/Critical Care, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana.
Constance R Sewani-RusikeDepartment of Human Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa.
Benedicta N Nkeh-ChungagDepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa.
Rexford S AhimaCenter for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Charles AgyemangDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Peter HennemanDepartment of Human Genetics, Epigenetics, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Adebowale A AdeyemoCenter for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Charles N RotimiCenter for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Karlijn A C MeeksDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. Electronic address: karlijn.meeks@som.umaryland.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdiponectin is a circulating adipokine involved in energy metabolism and inflammation, with reported protective effects against cardiometabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) and early kidney disease. However, its regulation remains poorly understood. This study aimed to identify epigenetic loci associated with adiponectin levels.

methodsDNA methylation was profiled using Illumina 450K and EPIC (850K) arrays in 315 Ghanaians (RODAM-Pros study) and 593 Nigerians (AADM study). Differentially methylated positions (DMPs) were identified using linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, BMI, blood cell proportions, and technical covariates. Analyses were stratified by T2D status and cohort, then meta-analysed to identify DMPs associated with adiponectin across T2D status (combining participants with-and-without diabetes). RNA-seq data on 77 blood, 49 subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and 55 skeletal muscle samples from the AADM study were used to identify eQTMs for identified DMPs.

findingsWe identified three epigenome-wide significant DMPs: cg03546163 (Z-score = 5.76, p ≤ 0.001, 5'UTR of FKBP5), cg02561343 (Z-score = 5.11, p ≤ 0.001, within UST), and cg23969380 (Z-score = 5.13, p ≤ 0.001, ADGRD1 body). cg03546163 was an eQTM for PLA2G12B in SAT (beta = -0.039, FDR = 0.047), cg02561343 for PSMD8 (beta = -11.85, FDR = 0.029) and TECR (beta = -9.48, FDR = 0.029) in SAT, and cg23969380 for HIGD2AP1 (beta = -0.095, FDR = 0.024) in blood. These genes have been reported to be involved in lipid metabolism (PLA2G12B and TECR), proteasomal degradation (PSMD8), and cellular stress-responses (HIGD2AP1).

interpretationThis epigenome-wide study of adiponectin in sub-Saharan African populations identified DNA methylation loci potentially involved in adiponectin regulation through lipid-metabolism, inflammation, proteostasis, and stress-response pathways. These findings provide a foundation for replication and further investigation to improve understanding of the role of adiponectin in cardiometabolic-health.

fundingNational Institutes of Health and European Research Council.

Indexed as

AdiponectinDNA MethylationEpigenesis, GeneticEpigenomeWest African PeopleAdultBiomarkersDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2EpigenomicsFemaleGenome-Wide Association StudyGhanaHumansMaleMiddle AgedNigeriaAdiponectinADIPOQ protein, humanBiomarkersAdipokineAdiponectinDNA methylationEpigenome-wide association studySub-Saharan Africa

Identifiers

PMID41793944
PMCPMC12993010

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.