Height at menarche is influenced by estrogen receptor alpha gene polymorphisms.
BACKGROUND
It has been suggested that polymorphic variations in estrogen receptors (ERs) genes may have an impact on linear growth of girls during puberty.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to investigate whether height at menarche is influenced by PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms of the ERalpha gene.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 127 healthy girls, who were observed from premenarcheal period at six monthly intervals, until menarche occurred in all participants. Anthropometric measurements were taken at each visit and their values at menarche were calculated using centile curves drawn individually for each subject. PvuII and XbaI ERalpha gene polymorphisms were evaluated with RLFP-PCR.


RESULTS
The age at menarche was not related to ERalpha gene polymorphisms. Girls with pp genotype were at menarche on average 3.2 cm shorter than PP homozygotes and in addition xx homozygotes were shorter than subjects with XX and Xx genotypes: 3.0 cm and 3.9 cm respectively. Subjects with px haplotype were, at the onset of the first menstrual period, from 2.3 cm to 3.1 cm shorter than carriers of other haplotypes. The leg length-to-height ratio at menarche was lower in xx homozygotes than in Xx heterozygotes and lower in px haplotype in comparison to Px and pX haplotypes carriers. Corresponding associations were observed at the final visit.


CONCLUSIONS
Height at menarche is influenced by the ERalpha gene polymorphism.
Kulik-Rechberger
B
B
Department of Paediatric Propedeutics, Medical University of Lublin, Poland. brechberger@interia.pl
Skorupski
P
P
Bogusiewicz
M
M
Miotła
P
P
Rechberger
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height / Q000235:genetics*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008572:Menarche / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D004247:DNA