title: Heritability and genetic correlations of metabolic disease-related phenotypes in Mexico: preliminary report from the GEMM Family Study.
abstract: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality in the Republic of Mexico, and metabolic syndrome, a complex of CVD risk factors, is increasingly prevalent. To date, however, there have been few studies of the genetic epidemiology of metabolic syndrome in Mexico. As a first step in implementing the GEMM Family Study, a large, multicenter collaborative study, we recruited 375 individuals in 21 extended families, without ascertainment on disease, at 9 medical institutions across Mexico. Participants were measured for anthropometric (stature, weight, waist circumference) and hemodynamic (blood pressure, heart rate) phenotypes; glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were measured in fasting blood. Variance components-based quantitative genetic analyses were performed using SOLAR. All phenotypes except diastolic blood pressure were significantly heritable. Consistent with the definition of metabolic syndrome, many phenotypes exhibited significant environmental correlation, and significant genetic correlations were found between measures of adiposity and fasting glucose and fasting triglyceride levels. These preliminary data represent the first heritability estimates for many of these phenotypes in the Republic of Mexico and indicate that this study design offers excellent power for future gene discovery relative to metabolic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, P.O. Box 760549, San Antonio, TX 78245-0549, USA.
authors.forename: Raul A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bastarrachea
authors.forename: Jack W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.forename: Guadalupe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rozada
authors.forename: Shelley A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: López-Alvarenga
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aradillas
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brito-Zurita
authors.forename: Ricardo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cerda-Flores
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ibarra-Costilla
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gallegos
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laviada-Molina
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Escalante
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosas
authors.forename: Anselmo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vadillo
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Brissia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lazalde
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santa-Olalla
authors.forename: Jean W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: MacCluer
authors.forename: Anthony G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Comuzzie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000235:genetics; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005828:Genetics, Population / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype