Epigenetic Changes in the Methylation Patterns of KCNQ1 and WT1 after a Weight Loss Intervention Program in Obese Stroke Patients

Ischemic stroke patients often show high concentrations of circulating inflammatory markers that are associated with increased risk of recurrence. Epigenetic mechanisms could be involved in obesity, inflammation and stroke. The objective of this research was to investigate, in obese patients suffering a previous stroke, the effects of a nutritional program on anthropometric and biochemical variables, and on the methylation patterns of two stroke-related genes (KCNQ1: potassium channel, voltage gated KQT-like subfamily Q, member 1; and WT1: Wilms tumor 1). Twenty-two ischemic stroke patients were compared with a control group composed of eighteen obese subjects with similar age and body mass index ranges. Both groups followed a 20-week nutritional program based on an energy-restricted balanced diet with high adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern. The intervention significantly improved anthropometric and metabolic variables, such as the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and C-reactive protein concentration, in ischemic stroke patients, and was accompanied by changes in the methylation patterns of both stroke-related genes, which correlated with anthropometric and biochemical variables.