title: Association of polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor alpha gene with body fat distribution.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor (ER) alpha gene are associated with body fat distribution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, epidemiological study of two single-nucleotide polymorphisms, a T --> C (PvuII) and an A --> G (XbaI), in the first intron of the ERalpha gene.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2238 community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly Japanese population (age: 40-79 y).
  
  
  METHODS
  The ERalpha genotypes (by automated fluorescent allele-specific DNA primer assay system), anthropometric variables, fat mass (FM) and percentage FM (%FM) (by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry).
  
  
  RESULTS
  FM and waist were inversely associated with age (r=-0.630 and -0.504, respectively) in women with the GG genotype. On the other hand, waist circumference of the AA genotype was positively correlated with age (r=0.231). Thus, for middle-aged women (40-59 y) with the AG or GG genotype body mass index (BMI), %FM, FM, waist, hip and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were larger than those with the AA genotype. In particular, FM and waist were greater by 20% and 9%, respectively, for the GG genotype, compared to the AA genotype. Alternatively, FM and waist were smaller by 18% and 6%, respectively, in older women with the GG genotype, compared to the AA genotype. No effect was found among the A --> G polymorphisms for men. For both genders, no difference was found in any variables among the TT, TC and CC genotypes with the exception of BMI of older men (60-79 y).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No association was found between the ERalpha gene polymorphisms and body fat distribution in men. For women, the A --> G polymorphism, in particular the GG genotype, may contribute to the development of upper-body obesity in middle-aged individuals, but may serve to decrease the whole-body and abdominal fat tissue of older individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, National Institute for Longevity Sciences, Gengo Morioka-cho Obu Aichi, Japan. okura@nils.go.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koda
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Niino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimokata
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D007328:Insulin; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen