Genetic polymorphism c.1438A>G of the 5-HT(2A) receptor is associated with abdominal obesity in Chinese Northern Han population.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the potential impact of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor (5-HT(2A)R) c.1438A>G promoter polymorphism on obesity and estimates of insulin, glucose as well as lipid metabolism.


METHODS
The genotypes and allelic frequencies of the 5-HT(2A)R c.1438A>G were examined with polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 210 patients with overweight/obesity and 216 unrelated healthy subjects.


RESULTS
The genotype (AA, AG, and GG) distribution of c.1438A>G polymorphism of the 5-HT(2A)R gene promoter was 35%, 46%, and 19% in patients, and 32%, 56%, 12% in controls, respectively, no significant difference was found between two groups. Association of genetic diversity of 5-HT(2A)R c.1438A>G with the total body fat, fat distribution and clinical characteristics revealed that overweight/obese men carrying G allele were associated with increased body mass index (P = 0.043), waist circumference (P = 0.038), waist-to-hip ratio (P = 0.045), in comparison with patients who carrying A allele, but there were no significant difference between the c.1438A>G genotype groups in overweight/obese women.


CONCLUSIONS
No significant associations were detected. However, the present study suggests the possibility that an abnormal production rate of the 5-HT(2A)R c.1438A>G gene product might lead to the development of abdominal obesity in men but not in women.
Ying
Su
S
Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, China. learnharder@hotmail.com
Liu
Xiao-Min
XM
Sun
Yan-Ming
YM
Pan
Shang-Ha
SH
D050153:Abdominal Fat; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002681:China; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / Q000235:genetics*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol