title: A common variant in the PNPLA3 gene is a risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in obese Taiwanese children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that the presence of the PNPLA3 rs738409 G allele would increase the susceptibility of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese Taiwanese children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 520 obese children aged 6-18 years were recruited. Their PNPLA3 rs738409 genotypes-CC, CG, or GG-were detected by the 5'-nuclease assay. The effects of the PNPLA3 rs738409 G allele on pediatric NAFLD were evaluated based on liver ultrasonography findings and mean serum alanine aminotransferase levels in these children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NAFLD was present in 19.6% of the obese children. In comparison to the subjects with CC alleles, the risk of NAFLD was increased by 2.96-fold (95% CI, 1.57 to 5.59, P = .0008) in the subjects with CG alleles and by 5.84-fold (95% CI, 2.59 to 13.16; P < .0001) in those with GG alleles. Variant PNPLA3 rs738409 genotypes were associated with increases in mean serum alanine aminotransferase level of 4.77 IU/L (P = .0435) in subjects with CG alleles and of 10.86 IU/L (P < .0001) in those with GG alleles compared with subjects with CC alleles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The variant PNPLA3 rs738409 genotypes increased the risk of NAFLD in our population of obese Taiwanese children. The effect of the G allele on pediatric NAFLD followed a dominant genetic model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Banqiao City, Taipei County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Pi-Feng
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Fu-Chang
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Wei-Shiung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Mei-Hwei
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yen-Hsuan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D002648:Child; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008049:Lipase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D000217:Acyltransferases; D054512:Phospholipases A2, Calcium-Independent
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D008049:Lipase; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C533682:PNPLA3 protein, human; D000217:Acyltransferases; D054512:Phospholipases A2, Calcium-Independent