The effect of CYP19 and COMT polymorphisms on exercise-induced fat loss in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether genetic polymorphisms in CYP19 [intron 4 (TTTA)n; n = 7 to 13 and a 3-base pair deletion, which is in strong linkage disequilibrium with the seven repeat] and COMT (Val108/158Met) modified the change in BMI, total and percentage body fat, or subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat during a year-long exercise intervention trial. These genes metabolize estrogens and androgens, which are important in body fat regulation.


METHODS
A randomized intervention trial was used, with an intervention goal of 225 min/wk of moderate-intensity exercise for one year. Participants (n = 173) were postmenopausal, 50 to 75 years old, sedentary, overweight or obese, and not taking hormone therapy at baseline.


RESULTS
Exercisers with two vs. no CYP19 11-repeat alleles had a larger decrease in total fat (-3.1 kg vs. -0.5 kg, respectively, p = 0.01) and percentage body fat (-2.4% vs. -0.6%, respectively, p = 0.001). Exercisers with the COMT Met/Met vs. Val/Val genotype had a smaller decrease in percentage fat (-0.7% vs. -1.9%, respectively, p = 0.05). Among exercisers, women with the COMT Val/Val genotype and at least one copy of the CYP19 11-repeat allele vs. those with neither genotype/allele had a significantly larger decrease in BMI (-1.0 vs. +0.1 kg/m2, respectively, p = 0.009), total fat (-2.9 vs. -0.5 kg, respectively, p = 0.004), and percentage body fat (-2.6% vs. -0.4%, respectively, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Genetic polymorphisms in CYP19 and COMT may be important for body fat regulation and possibly modify the effect of exercise on fat loss in postmenopausal women.
Tworoger
Shelley S
SS
Channing Laboratory, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. amctiern@fhcrc.org
Chubak
Jessica
J
Aiello
Erin J
EJ
Yasui
Yutaka
Y
Ulrich
Cornelia M
CM
Farin
Federico M
FM
Stapleton
Patricia L
PL
Irwin
Melinda L
ML
Potter
John D
JD
Schwartz
Robert S
RS
McTiernan
Anne
A
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001141:Aromatase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000502:physiology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000235:genetics*
D004247:DNA; D001141:Aromatase; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase