title: rs12255372 variant of TCF7L2 gene is protective for obesity in Mexican children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Variants in the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene are consistently associated with type 2 diabetes in adults, but the association of TCF7L2 with weight-related traits and body fat in humans is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the TCF7L2 gene (rs12255372) and obese phenotype in Mexican school-age children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed in schools in Mexico City; 186 obese and 194 control children were studied. Fasting insulin and glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and triglycerides concentration were determined. The variant rs12255372 of the TCF7L2 gene was genotyped. We used age- and sex-adjusted linear models to test for association with metabolic measurements with this variant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genotype of the TCF7L2 rs12255372 gene was associated with lower fasting plasma glucose (p = 0.001) and lower homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-R; p = 0.001) in nonobese children. Heterozygous carriers for this variant were more prevalent in lean children (32.5%) than in the obese group (23.7%), which resulted in a strong protective effect for the normal weight condition (OR = 0.56, 0.32-0.97).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TCF7L2 rs12255372 polymorphism protects Mexican children from obesity. Further research in other large, population-based studies is needed to replicate these findings.
authors.affiliation: Community Health Research Department, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klünder-Klünder
authors.forename: María Aurora
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mejía-Benitez
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Flores-Huerta
authors.forename: Ana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Burguete-García
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Mena
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cruz
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D058118:Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C544894:TCF7L2 protein, human; D058118:Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein