Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41897280›Full record

ArticleBiomolecules2026

(-)-Epicatechin Promotes Epigenetic and Metabolic Changes in an Obesity Model.

Javier Pérez-Durán, Miguel Ortiz-Flores, Sarai Mendoza-Bustos, Yuridia Martínez-Meza, Aglae Luna-Flores, Guillermo Ceballos, Nayelli Nájera

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Biomolecules, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

7 authors.

Javier Pérez-DuránReproductive and Perinatal Health Research Department, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Mexico City 11000, Mexico.ORCID 0000-0003-3302-7720
Miguel Ortiz-FloresEscuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico.ORCID 0000-0001-6091-2448
Sarai Mendoza-BustosEscuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico.
Yuridia Martínez-MezaEscuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico.
Aglae Luna-FloresEscuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico.
Guillermo CeballosEscuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico.ORCID 0000-0003-2155-3934
Nayelli NájeraEscuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 11340, Mexico.ORCID 0000-0002-6869-8762

Funding

Instituto Nacional de Perinatología 2018-1-160Instituto Politécnico Nacional SIP 20232185, 2019195133
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundObesity is a multifactorial chronic disease resulting from sustained energy imbalance and modulated by environmental and demographic factors, and it is associated with numerous comorbidities. DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification associated with obesity. Modulation of DNA methylation is a viable target for obesity control strategies. The flavanol (-)-epicatechin (EC) exerts beneficial effects in overweight individuals, suggesting that EC may influence gene regulation through signaling pathways and epigenetic mechanisms. We evaluated whether EC modulates obesity-associated DNA methylation changes using complementary in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches.

methodsIn silico analyses were performed to explore potential EC interactions with the DNA methyltransferases DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B. DNMT activity was measured in nuclear extracts of 4T1 cells in the presence of EC. Finally, in a C57BL/6 mouse model of diet- induced obesity, we assessed global DNA methylation and the expression of the DNA methyltransferases, as well as metabolism-related genes; peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (

resultsEC showed stable in silico interactions within catalytic/cofactor-binding regions of DNMTs and inhibited DNMT activity in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. In vivo, the obesogenic diet reduced global DNA methylation and decreased transcript levels of DISCUSSION: In silico and enzymatic data suggest that EC may bind DNMT active sites and inhibit DNMT activity in a concentration-dependent manner, supporting a role for EC in obesity-related epigenetic remodeling, particularly in skeletal muscle. EC also increased relative mitochondrial DNA content in VAT and skeletal muscle despite no obesogenic diet effect on relative mitochondrial abundance, consistent with favorable mitochondrial modulation. In conclusion, EC is an epigenetic modulator and may have positive effects in obesity related dysfunctional tissues.

Indexed as

CatechinEpigenesis, GeneticObesityAnimalsDiet, High-FatDisease Models, AnimalDNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1DNA (Cytosine-5-)-MethyltransferasesDNA MethylationDNA Methyltransferase 3ADNA Methyltransferase 3BHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLCatechinDNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1DNA (Cytosine-5-)-MethyltransferasesDNA Methyltransferase 3ADNA Methyltransferase 3BDnmt3a protein, mouseDNA methylationDNA methyltransferases(-)-epicatechinobesity

Identifiers

PMID41897280
PMCPMC13023915

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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 Socratic graph.