title: Short allele of serotonin transporter gene promoter is a risk factor for obesity in adolescents.
abstract: Obesity and hypertension are increasing medical problems in adolescents. Serotonin transporter (5-HTT) is involved in mood and eating disturbances. Encoded by the gene SLC6A4, the promoter shows functional insertion/deletion alleles: long (L) and short (S). Because individuals who are carriers for the short version are known to be at risk for higher levels of anxiety, we hypothesized that this variant may be associated with overweight. Data and blood samples were collected from 172 adolescents out of a cross-sectional, population-based study of 934 high school students. To replicate the findings, we also included 119 outpatients from the Nutrition and Diabetes Section of the Children's County Hospital. We found that the S allele was associated with overweight (BMI > 85th percentile), being a risk factor for overweight independently of sex, age, and hypertension [odds ratio (OR): 1.85; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 3.05; p < 0.02]. Additionally, in the outpatient study, compared with the homozygous LL subjects, S allele carriers showed a higher BMI z-score (1.47 +/- 1.09 vs. 0.51 +/- 1.4; p < 0.002) and were more frequent in overweight children. In conclusion, the S allele of the SLC6A4 promoter variant is associated with overweight being an independent genetic risk factor for obesity.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cardiology, Institute of Medical Research, A Lanari, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sookoian
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gemma
authors.forename: Silvia I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Tomas Fernández
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Gianotti
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dieuzeide
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roussos
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonietti
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trifone
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kanevsky
authors.forename: Claudio D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Carlos J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Pirola
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012885:Skinfold Thickness
chemical_list: D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins