The association between the FTO gene and fat mass in humans develops by the postnatal age of two weeks.
OBJECTIVE
Little is known about the genetic determinants of fat mass around birth. We hypothesized that the common rs9939609 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in FTO is associated with fat mass and metabolic parameters in neonates.


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional, hospital-based study.


METHODS
Patients included 234 full-term, healthy newborns [122 girls and 112 boys; gestational age (mean, range), 39.0 (37.0-42.0) wk; birth weight, 3.2 (1.9-4.2) kg].


METHODS
Cord-blood insulin, IGF-I, IGF-binding protein-1, adiponectin, and visfatin were measured by specific immunoassays. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at about 13 d (range, 9-20 d). Genotyping of rs9939609 was achieved by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.


RESULTS
The rs9939609 SNP in FTO was not associated with birth weight; however, it was associated with serum visfatin (P < 0.001), with weight and ponderal index at age 2 wk (P < 0.05), and with total, truncal, and abdominal fat (P < 0.05 to P = 0.01), so that AA homozygotes had 37% higher plasma visfatin concentration and 17, 20, and 17% higher total, truncal, and abdominal fat mass, respectively, than T-carrier neonates.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support a role of the common rs9939609 SNP in FTO gene in the early stages of fat accretion in humans and disclose novel associations between this SNP and both serum visfatin and abdominal fat mass in neonates.
López-Bermejo
Abel
A
Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition Unit, Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital, 17007 Girona, Spain.
Petry
Clive J
CJ
Díaz
Marta
M
Sebastiani
Giorgia
G
de Zegher
Francis
F
Dunger
David B
DB
Ibáñez
Lourdes
L
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; D001823:Body Composition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D016207:Cytokines; D011506:Proteins; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; C526492:FTO protein, human; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human