Besides its pathogenetic significance, the DNA methylation level of HOXA5 may also serve as a potential biomarker to identify subjects at increased risk of metabolic disorders, in agreement with the current evidence that methylation changes detected in easily accessible tissues, like blood cells, may serve as a surrogate marker for major metabolic organs directly implicated in disease pathogenesis [87,88]. The gene discussed is HOXA5; the disease is metabolic disease.