title: The lactase persistence genotype is a protective factor for the metabolic syndrome.
abstract: The Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is defined as a pattern of metabolic disturbances, which include central obesity, insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Milk has been promoted as a healthy beverage that can improve the management of MetS. Most human adults, however, down-regulate the production of intestinal lactase after weaning. Lactase encoded by the LCT gene is necessary for lactose digestion. The -13910C > T SNP (rs4988235) is responsible for the lactase persistence phenotype in European populations. We herein investigated whether the lactase persistence genotype is also associated with the MetS in subjects from a Brazilian population of European descent. This study consisted of 334 individuals (average age of 41 years) genotyped by PCR-based methods for the -13910C > T SNP. Clinical data were assessed and the genotypes were tested for their independent contribution to the MetS using chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analysis. Univariate analyses showed that hypertension and MetS prevalence were higher in individuals with the lactase non-persistence genotype than in lactase persistence subjects. Furthermore, lactase persistence was associated with a lower risk for MetS (OR = 0.467; 95% CI 0.264-0.824; p = 0.009). These results suggest that LCT genotypes can be a valuable tool for the management of MetS treatment.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética , Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul , Porto Alegre, RS , Brazil .
authors.forename: Deise C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências da Saúde , Universidade Feevale , Novo Hamburgo, RS , Brazil .
authors.forename: Fabiana M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.affiliation: Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde , Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre , Porto Alegre, RS , Brazil .
authors.forename: Marilu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiegenbaum
authors.affiliation: Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde , Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre , Porto Alegre, RS , Brazil .
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.affiliation: Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde , Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre , Porto Alegre, RS , Brazil .
authors.forename: Vanessa S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Mattevi
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estatística , Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul , Porto Alegre, RS , Brazil .
authors.forename: Sidia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Callegari-Jacques
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética , Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul , Porto Alegre, RS , Brazil .
authors.forename: Mara H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hutz
keywords: hypolactasia; lactase persistence; lactose; metabolic syndrome