Epigenetic mechanisms are implicated in gene regulation and the development of different diseases. The epigenome differs between cell types and has until now only been characterized for a few human tissues. Environmental factors potentially alter the epigenome. Here we describe the genome-wide pattern of DNA methylation in human adipose tissue from 23 healthy men, with a previous low level of physical activity, before and after a six months exercise intervention. We also investigate the differences in adipose tissue DNA methylation between 31 individuals with or without a family history of type 2 diabetes. DNA methylation was analyzed using Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip, an array containing 485,577 probes covering 99% RefSeq genes. Global DNA methylation changed and 17,975 individual CpG sites in 7,663 unique genes showed altered levels of DNA methylation after the exercise intervention (q<0.05). Differential mRNA expression was present in 1/3 of gene regions with altered DNA methylation, including RALBP1, HDAC4 and NCOR2 (q<0.05). Using a luciferase assay, we could show that increased DNA methylation in vitro of the RALBP1 promoter suppressed the transcriptional activity (p = 0.03). Moreover, 18 obesity and 21 type 2 diabetes candidate genes had CpG sites with differences in adipose tissue DNA methylation in response to exercise (q<0.05), including TCF7L2 (6 CpG sites) and KCNQ1 (10 CpG sites). A simultaneous change in mRNA expression was seen for 6 of those genes. To understand if genes that exhibit differential DNA methylation and mRNA expression in human adipose tissue in vivo affect adipocyte metabolism, we silenced Hdac4 and Ncor2 respectively in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, which resulted in increased lipogenesis both in the basal and insulin stimulated state. In conclusion, exercise induces genome-wide changes in DNA methylation in human adipose tissue, potentially affecting adipocyte metabolism. Given the important role of epigenetics in gene regulation and disease development, we here present the genome-wide DNA methylation pattern of 476,753 CpG sites in adipose tissue obtained from healthy men. Since environmental factors potentially change metabolism through epigenetic modifications, we examined if a six months exercise intervention alters the DNA methylation pattern as well as gene expression in human adipose tissue. Our results show that global DNA methylation changes and 17,975 individual CpG sites alter the levels of DNA methylation in response to exercise. We also found differential DNA methylation of 39 candidate genes for obesity and type 2 diabetes in human adipose tissue after exercise. Additionally, we provide functional proof that genes, which exhibit both differential DNA methylation and gene expression in human adipose tissue in response to exercise, influence adipocyte metabolism. Together, this study provides the first detailed map of the genome-wide DNA methylation pattern in human adipose tissue and links exercise to altered adipose tissue DNA methylation, potentially affecting adipocyte metabolism.

SIK2 (salt-inducible kinase 2) is a member of the AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) family of kinases and is highly expressed in adipocytes. We investigated the regulation of SIK2 in adipocytes in response to cellular stimuli with relevance for adipocyte function and/or AMPK signalling. None of the treatments, including insulin, cAMP inducers or AICAR (5-amino-4-imidazolecarboxamide riboside), affected SIK2 activity towards peptide or protein substrates in vitro. However, stimulation with the cAMP-elevating agent forskolin and the β-adrenergic receptor agonist CL 316,243 resulted in a PKA (protein kinase A)-dependent phosphorylation and 14-3-3 binding of SIK2. Phosphopeptide mapping of SIK2 revealed several sites phosphorylated in response to cAMP induction, including Ser358. Site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that phosphorylation of Ser358, but not the previously reported PKA site Ser587, was required for 14-3-3 binding. Immunocytochemistry illustrated that the localization of exogenously expressed SIK2 in HEK (human embryonic kidney)-293 cells was exclusively cytosolic and remained unchanged after cAMP elevation. Fractionation of adipocytes, however, revealed a significant increase of wild-type, but not Ser358Ala, HA (haemagglutinin)–SIK2 in the cytosol and a concomitant decrease in a particulate fraction after CL 316,243 treatment. This supports a phosphorylation-dependent relocalization in adipocytes. We hypothesize that regulation of SIK2 by cAMP could play a role for the critical effects of this second messenger on lipid metabolism in adipocytes.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is secreted from the parathyroid glands in response to low plasma calcium levels. Besides its classical actions on bone and kidney, PTH may have other important effects, including metabolic effects, as suggested for instance by increased prevalence of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Moreover, secondary hyperparathyroidism may contribute to the metabolic derangements that characterize states of vitamin D deficiency. PTH has been shown to induce adipose tissue lipolysis, but the details of the lipolytic action of PTH have not been described. Here we used primary mouse adipocytes to show that intact PTH (1-84) as well as the N-terminal fragment (1-37) acutely stimulated lipolysis in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the C-terminal fragment (38-84) was without lipolytic effect. The lipolytic action of PTH was paralleled by phosphorylation of known protein kinase A (PKA) substrates, i.e. hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and perilipin. The phosphorylation of HSL in response to PTH occurred at the known PKA sites S563 and S660, but not at the non-PKA site S565. PTH-induced lipolysis, as well as phosphorylation of HSL at S563 and S660, was blocked by both the PKA-inhibitor H89 and the adenylate cyclase inhibitor MDL-12330A, whereas inhibitors of extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK), protein kinase B (PKB), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) had little or no effect. Inhibition of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) strongly potentiated the lipolytic action of PTH, whereas inhibition of PDE3 had no effect. Our results show that the lipolytic action of PTH is mediated by the PKA signaling pathway with no or minor contribution of other signaling pathways and, furthermore, that the lipolytic action of PTH is limited by simultaneous activation of PDE4. Knowledge of the signaling pathways involved in the lipolytic action of PTH is important for our understanding of how metabolic derangements develop in states of hyperparathyroidism, including vitamin D deficiency.

As shown by transgenic mouse models and by using phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3) inhibitors, PDE3B has an important role in the regulation of insulin secretion in pancreatic β-cells. However, very little is known about the regulation of the enzyme. Here, we show that PDE3B is activated in response to high glucose, insulin and cAMP elevation in rat pancreatic islets and INS-1 (832/13) cells. Activation by glucose was not affected by the presence of diazoxide. PDE3B activation was coupled to an increase as well as a decrease in total phosphorylation of the enzyme. In addition to PDE3B, several other PDEs were detected in human pancreatic islets: PDE1, PDE3, PDE4C, PDE7A, PDE8A and PDE10A. We conclude that PDE3B is activated in response to agents relevant for β-cell function and that activation is linked to increased as well as decreased phosphorylation of the enzyme. Moreover, we conclude that several PDEs are present in human pancreatic islets.

Accumulating evidence suggests that dysregulated glycerol metabolism contributes to the pathophysiology of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Glycerol efflux from adipocytes is regulated by the aquaglyceroporin AQP7, which is translocated upon hormone stimulation. Here, we propose a molecular mechanism where the AQP7 mobility in adipocytes is dependent on perilipin 1 and protein kinase A. Biochemical analyses combined with ex vivo studies in human primary adipocytes, demonstrate that perilipin 1 binds to AQP7, and that catecholamine activated protein kinase A phosphorylates the N-terminus of AQP7, thereby reducing complex formation. Together, these findings are indicative of how glycerol release is controlled in adipocytes, and may pave the way for the future design of drugs against human metabolic pathologies. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.