title: Genetic and environmental factors influencing fasting serum adiponectin in Hispanic children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because of its antiinflammatory and insulin-sensitizing properties, adiponectin may play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of these analyses were: 1) to estimate the heritability of fasting serum adiponectin; 2) to evaluate the effects of age, sex, and body composition on fasting serum adiponectin; 3) to test for associations between fasting serum adiponectin and diet, fitness, energy expenditure, and fat oxidation; and 4) to determine the relationships between fasting serum adiponectin, insulin and lipids, and blood pressure in Hispanic children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Genetic and environmental factors influencing fasting serum adiponectin were investigated in a cohort of children participating in the VIVA LA FAMILIA Study in 2000-2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was performed at the Children's Nutrition Research Center.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study participants were 805 Hispanic nonoverweight and overweight children, ages 4-19 yr.
  
  
  METHODS
  The main measure of the study was fasting serum adiponectin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The heritability of serum adiponectin was 0.93 +/- 0.10 (P = 2.4 x 10(-40)). Adiponectin differed by age (P = 0.001), sex (P = 0.04), and weight (P = 0.001) status. Adiponectin levels declined with age, in association with changes in sex hormones and growth factors. Adiponectin was not associated with macronutrient intake, fitness, 24-h energy expenditure, or fat oxidation. Controlling for age, sex, and percent fat mass, adiponectin was inversely associated with homeostasis model of insulin resistance, triglycerides (TG)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and systolic blood pressure (P = 0.001). Significant positive genetic correlations were detected between adiponectin and total cholesterol (rho(G) = 0.19), HDL-C (rho(G) = 0.32), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (rho(G) = 0.24), and IGF-binding protein-1 (rho(G) = 0.39), and negative genetic correlations were detected between adiponectin and leptin (rho(G) = -0.30), TG (rho(G) = -0.21), TG/HDL-C (rho(G) = -0.33), and IGF-binding protein-3 (rho(G) = -0.32), indicating shared genetic components in their expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high heritability of adiponectin and pleiotropy seen between adiponectin and leptin, growth factors, and lipids may play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in overweight Hispanic children.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Street, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. nbutte@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Nancy F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Butte
authors.forename: Anthony G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Comuzzie
authors.forename: Gouwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Shelley A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Nitesh R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bacino
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008126:Lod Score; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D002784:Cholesterol