title: Frequency of fat mass and obesity-associated gene rs9939609 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma 2 gene rs1801282 polymorphisms among Trinidadian neonates of different ethnicities and their relationship to anthropometry at birth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) rs9939609 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma 2 gene (PPARG2) rs1801282 polymorphisms are type 2 diabetes mellitus susceptibility gene variants associated with obesity. This study examined whether these variants are associated with anthropometry at birth among a representative multi-ethnic sample of Trinidadian neonates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cord blood was obtained from consecutive term live births and DNA was genotyped for FTO and PPARG2 variants using polymerase chain reaction. Associations between neonate anthropometry at birth and genotype frequency were assessed using the χ(2) test and linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant associations were observed between neonate ethnicity and PPARG2 (p = 0.005) and FTO (p = 0.017) variants: high-risk alleles were more prevalent among African than South Asian neonates for both variants. The allelic and genotypic frequencies for mixed neonates were between those for the African and those for the South Asian neonates. No significant relationship was observed between rs9939609 and rs1801282 and anthropometric measures. For both variants, the allelic and genotypic frequencies among the African and South Asian neonates mirrored those found elsewhere for similar ethnic groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neonates of African ethnicity possess the highest frequency of rs9939609 and rs1801282 alleles and genotypes; this may be associated with ethnic differences in the risk of lifestyle diseases.
authors: Department of Pre-Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
authors: Candace E
authors: CE
authors: Cuthbert
authors: D Dan
authors: DD
authors: Ramdath
authors: Jerome E
authors: JE
authors: Foster
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D005006:Ethnicity; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago
chemical_list: D047495:PPAR gamma