Molecular analysis of the CART gene in overweight and obese Italian children using family-based association methods.
OBJECTIVE
In our study, we evaluated if CART gene A1475G and DeltaA1457 polymorphisms could be associated with obesity.


METHODS
We recruited 133 Italian trios from among 103 (50 males and 53 females) overweight children (mean age 10.5 years, range 6-14 years; mean BMI 26.1 +/- 3.2 kg/m(2)), and 30 (16 males and 14 females) obese children (mean age 9.0 years, range 6-11 years; mean BMI 32.3 +/- 2.0 kg/m(2)). We also selected 187 non-obese unrelated controls.


RESULTS
The allele frequencies of the A1475G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) were significantly higher in overweight children (0.07) than in control children (0.02) (p = 0.03) and control adults (0.02) (p = 0.02). Moreover, the allele frequencies were significantly different between obese children (0.08) and control children (0.02) (p = 0.03), and between obese children (0.08) and control adults (0.02) (p = 0.02). The DeltaA1457 SNP showed no significant association with overweight/obesity. TDT statistic revealed a preferential transmission of the 1475G allele from heterozygous parents to overweight children (p < 0.01) and to obese children (p < 0.05). No statistically significant excess transmission of the DeltaA1457 allele was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results supported the hypothesis that inherited variations of the CART gene could influence the development of obesity also in Italian children.
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Messina, Italy.
L
L
Rigoli
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Messina, Italy.
C
C
Munafò
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Messina, Italy.
C
C
Di Bella
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Messina, Italy.
A
A
Salpietro
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Messina, Italy.
V
V
Procopio
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, Messina, Italy.
C
C
Salpietro
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D050177:Overweight / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D000098882:Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000098882:Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript Protein