title: Catechol O-methyltransferase val158-met polymorphism is associated with abdominal obesity and blood pressure in men.
abstract: Catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) degrades catecholamines and estrogens, both of which are of known importance for cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity and hypertension. The gene coding for COMT contains a val158-met polymorphism that exerts a considerable influence on enzymatic activity. We hypothesized that this polymorphism might influence risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Deoxyribonucleic acid samples and data regarding blood pressure and anthropometry were collected from 240 Swedish men, all 51 years old. Subjects homozygous for the low-activity allele (met) displayed higher blood pressure, heart rate, waist-to-hip ratio, and abdominal sagittal diameter as compared with heterozygous subjects, who in turn displayed higher blood pressure, heart rate, waist-to-hip ratio, and abdominal sagittal diameter than subjects homozygous for the high-activity allele (val). All measured variables were significantly correlated; however, the associations between COMT val158-met and cardiovascular variables, and the association between COMT val158-met and anthropometry, respectively, were partly independent of each other, as revealed by multiple linear regression.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Göteborg University, and Institute of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, S-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden. kristina.annerbrink@pharm.gu.se
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Annerbrink
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Westberg
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosmond
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
chemical_list: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase