Variations in the preproghrelin gene correlate with higher body mass index, fat mass, and body dissatisfaction in young Japanese women.
BACKGROUND
Ghrelin is an endogenous peptide that stimulates growth hormone secretion, enhances appetite, and increases body weight and may play a role in eating disorders.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose was to determine whether any preproghrelin gene variants are associated with anthropometric measures, circulating ghrelin, lipid concentrations, insulin resistance, or psychological measures relevant to eating disorders in young women.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study compared outcome measures between preproghrelin genotypes. The participants in the study included 264 Japanese women [university students with a mean (+/-SD) age of 20.4 +/- 0.7] with no history of eating disorders. The main outcomes were responses to the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), anthropometric measures, measures of depression and anxiety, and fasting blood concentrations of acylated or desacyl ghrelin, lipids, glucose, and insulin.


RESULTS
Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) whose minor allele frequencies were >0.05--the Leu72Met (408 C-->A) SNP in exon 2 and the 3056 T-->C SNP in intron 2--were used for association analysis. The 3056C allele was significantly associated with a higher acylated ghrelin concentration (P=0.0021), body weight (P=0.011), body mass index (P=0.007), fat mass (P=0.012), waist circumference (P=0.008), and skinfold thickness (P=0.011) and a lower HDL-cholesterol concentration (P=0.02). Interestingly, the 3056C allele was related to elevated scores in the Drive for Thinness-Body Dissatisfaction (DT-BD) subscale of the EDI-2 (P=0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the preproghrelin gene 3056T-->C SNP is associated with changes in basal ghrelin concentrations and physical and psychological variables related to eating disorders and obesity.
Ando
Tetsuya
T
Department of Psychosomatic Research, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan. ando-t@ncnp.go.jp
Ichimaru
Yuhei
Y
Konjiki
Fujiko
F
Shoji
Masayasu
M
Komaki
Gen
G
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones; D004247:DNA