The different effects of a Gln27Glu beta 2-adrenoceptor gene polymorphism on obesity in males and in females.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of a polymorphism in codon 27 (Gln27Glu) of the beta 2-adrenoceptor gene for obesity in males compared to previously investigated females with an association of this polymorphism to obesity.


METHODS
Population-based study.


METHODS
Medical department at a University Hospital.


METHODS
A total of 138 non-related Swedish males with body mass indexes (BMI) in the range 19.4-53.4 kg m-2 were recruited as: healthy volunteers, healthy obese subjects and subjects undergoing surgery for uncomplicated gallstone or abdominal hernia. In order to investigate the impact of gender, the results were compared with a subset of an earlier investigated female population of 109 Swedish females. Obesity was defined as a BMI > 27 kg m-2.


METHODS
Genotype examination of beta 2-adrenoceptor polymorphism in codon 27 with polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism.


RESULTS
The allele frequency of Gln27 and Glu27 did not differ between males and females when obese and non-obese subjects were investigated together. However, in obese males, the frequency of the Glu27 allele was significantly decreased (P = 0.034), whereas the frequency of this allele was increased in obese females (P = 0.013). No impact of the female androgen status on the distribution of the Gln27Glu polymorphism could be demonstrated in the obese females.


CONCLUSIONS
A positive association between obesity and the Glu27 genetic variant in the beta 2-adrenoceptor exists in females, whereas in males there is a negative correlation between Glu27 and obesity. The findings suggest that different genetic factors contribute to obesity in males and females.
Hellström
L
L
Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. lena.hellstrom@mkdiv.hs.sll.se
Large
V
V
Reynisdottir
S
S
Wahrenberg
H
H
Arner
P
P
D000328:Adult; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000235:genetics*
D017931:DNA Primers; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D018698:Glutamic Acid