title: A bivariate whole-genome linkage scan suggests several shared genomic regions for obesity and osteoporosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A genome-wide bivariate analysis was conducted for body fat mass (BFM) and bone mineral density (BMD) in a large Caucasian sample. We found some quantitative trait loci shared by BFM and BMD in the total sample and the gender-specific subgroups, and quantitative trait loci with potential pleiotropy were disclosed. BFM and BMD, as the respective measure for obesity and osteoporosis, are phenotypically and genetically correlated. However, specific genomic regions accounting for their genetic correlation are unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify systemically the shared genomic regions for BFM and BMD, we performed a bivariate whole-genome linkage scan in 4498 Caucasian individuals from 451 families for BFM and BMD at the hip, spine, and wrist, respectively. Linkage analyses were performed in the total sample and the male and female subgroups, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the entire sample, suggestive linkages were detected at 7p22-p21 (LOD 2.69) for BFM and spine BMD, 6q27 (LOD 2.30) for BFM and hip BMD, and 11q13 (LOD 2.64) for BFM and wrist BMD. Male-specific suggestive linkages were found at 13q12 (LOD 3.23) for BFM and spine BMD and at 7q21 (LOD 2.59) for BFM and hip BMD. Female-specific suggestive LOD scores were 3.32 at 15q13 for BFM and spine BMD and 3.15 at 6p25-24 for BFM and wrist BMD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several shared genomic regions for BFM and BMD were identified here. Our data may benefit further positional and functional studies, aimed at eventually uncovering the complex mechanism underlying the shared genetic determination of obesity and osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular and Statistical Genetics and the Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Developmental Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zi-Hui
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Shu-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Fei-Yan
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Lan-Juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hong-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Dong-Hai
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Recker
authors.forename: Hong-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015894:Genome, Human; D023281:Genomics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008126:Lod Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000235:genetics*; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D012737:Sex Factors