[Association between melanocortin 4 receptor gene polymorphisms and obesity].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between the polymorphisms of melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene and obesity.


METHODS
The genotypes of three polymorphisms, nt-216C/T, nt-178A/C, and Val103Ile, were determined through DNA sequencing in 563 Chinese from Shanghai, including 258 individuals with body mass index (BMI) over 30 kg/m(2) and 305 individuals with BMI less than 23 kg/m(2). Height and body weight were measured to calculate BMI. Blood pressure was measured. Waistline, hipline, and femoral waist to calculate the waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-femoral ratio were measured. Oral glucose tolerance test was conducted to detect the plasma glucose level during fasting condition and 120 minute after glucose loading. The levels of serum lipids, including total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.


RESULTS
(1) The frequencies of nt-216C/T, nt-178A/C, and Val103Ile were all less than 5%. (2) Logistic regression showed that the Val103Ile variant was an independent risk factor for obesity (OR = 0.414, P = 0.040). The frequency of Ile was less in the obese individuals compared with the controls. (3) In the controls and obese individuals, no association was detected between the genotypes and phenotypes.


CONCLUSIONS
Val103Ile variant of MC4R gene is associated with obesity in Chinese.
Zhang
Rong
R
Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes, Shanghai Diabetes Institute, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated No.6 People's Hospital, Shanghai 200233, China.
Jia
Wei-Ping
WP
Hu
Cheng
C
Wang
Cong-Rong
CR
Fang
Qi-Chen
QC
Bao
Yu-Qian
YQ
Lu
Jun-Xi
JX
Ma
Xiao-Jing
XJ
Xu
Jing
J
Lu
Hui-Juan
HJ
Xiang
Kun-San
KS
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4 / Q000235:genetics*; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D008055:Lipids; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4