Study on a possible effect of four longevity candidate genes (ACE, PON1, PPAR-gamma, and APOE) on human fertility.
The present study investigated for a possible effect on fertility of four longevity candidate genes (ACE, PON1, PPAR-gamma, APOE) in order to determine whether they have a pleiotropic action at different life ages. The study population was 151 healthy unrelated subjects. Only PPAR-gamma and APOE showed an effect on fertility. The PPAR-gamma Pro/Ala genotype, which had showed an association with longevity only in men, was found associated only in men with having produced more children (6.1+/-3.3) than the Pro/Pro genotype (3.3+/-1.9; P=0.001). APOE*2 allele, which has been consistently associated with longevity, was confirmed to be associated with the lowest fertility (P=0.03). The logistic regression analysis indicated that APOE and PPAR-gamma polymorphisms may be considered independent determinants of reproductive efficiency. These data suggest that the APOE*2 allele follows the model of antagonist pleiotropy, while the PPAR-gamma Pro/Ala genotype seems to exert beneficial effects both early in life and in advanced age in a gender-specific way.
Corbo
Rosa Maria
RM
Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, University La Sapienza, P. A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. rosamaria.corbo@uniroma1.it
Ulizzi
Laura
L
Piombo
Laura
L
Scacchi
Renato
R
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics*; D012083:Renin / Q000235:genetics*; D043762:Reproductive Behavior / Q000502:physiology
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D047495:PPAR gamma; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase; C468406:PON1 protein, human; D012083:Renin