Positive association of obesity with single nucleotide polymorphisms of syndecan 3 in the Korean population.
BACKGROUND
Very recently the unforeseen role of syndecan 3 (SDC3), a family of membrane-bound heparin sulfate proteoglycans, in the regulation of energy balance has been discovered in the Sdc3 null female mice.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SDC3 are associated with obesity in the Korean population.


METHODS
We conducted a population-based cohort study consisting of 229 control and 245 study subjects and a second independent study consisting of 192 control and 115 study subjects.


METHODS
Body mass index (BMI) was measured.


RESULTS
First, Sdc3 mRNA expression in the brain of ob/ob mice was profoundly increased, compared with control mice. Next, all three nonsynonymous SNPs [T271I (rs2282440, C>T), D245N (rs4949184, C>T), and V150I (rs2491132, C>T)] in the SDC3 gene in control female subjects (BMI < 23, n = 229) and obese female subjects (BMI > 30, n = 245) were genotyped. We demonstrated the presence of clear ethnic differences in three nonsynonymous SDC3 SNPs among African-Americans, Chinese, Europeans, and Koreans. Of three SNPs in SDC3, rs4949184 was not associated with obesity and the other two SNPs (rs2282440 and rs2491132) were strongly associated with obesity (P < 0.0001), and the results were confirmed in the second independent study group. Haplotype analysis also revealed strong association with obesity (chi2 = 76.92, P < 0.000001).


CONCLUSIONS
There are ethnic differences in the SDC3 polymorphisms, and the polymorphisms are strongly associated with obesity.
Ha
Eunyoung
E
Department of Biochemistry, Kyung Hee Medical Center, Kyung Hee University, Hoigi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea. eyha@khu.ac.kr
Kim
Mi-Ja
MJ
Choi
Bong-Keun
BK
Rho
Jung-Jae
JJ
Oh
Dong-Jae
DJ
Rho
Tae-Hoon
TH
Kim
Kyu-Hyun
KH
Lee
Hee Jae
HJ
Shin
Dong-Hoon
DH
Yim
Sung Vin
SV
Baik
Hyung Hwan
HH
Chung
Joo-Ho
JH
Kim
Jong Woo
JW
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D053670:Syndecan-3 / Q000235:genetics*
D053670:Syndecan-3