title: Ghrelin Gene Variants Influence on Metabolic Syndrome Components in Aged Spanish Population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of genetic variations within the ghrelin gene on cardiometabolic profile and nutritional status is still not clear in humans, particularly in elderly people.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated six SNPs of the ghrelin gene and their relationship with metabolic syndrome (MS) components.
  
  
  METHODS
  824 subjects (413 men/411 women, age 77.31±5.04) participating in the Mataró aging study (n = 310) and the Hortega study (n = 514) were analyzed. Anthropometric variables, ghrelin, lipids, glucose and blood pressure levels were measured, and distribution of SNPs -994CT (rs26312), -604GA (rs27647), -501AC (rs26802), R51Q (rs34911341), M72L (rs696217) and L90G (rs4684677) of the ghrelin gene evaluated. Genotypes were determined by multiplex PCR and SNaPshot minisequencing. MS (IDF criteria) was found in 54.9%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No association between any of the SNPs and levels of total fasting circulating ghrelin levels was found. C/A-A/A genotype of M72L was associated with increased risk of central obesity according to IDF criteria, while G/A-G/G genotypes of -604GA with reduced risk. A/A genotype of -501AC polymorphism was associated to decreased BMI. In relation to lipid profile, the same genotypes of -604GA were associated with increased total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol and -501AC with reduced triglycerides. There were no associations with systolic or diastolic blood pressure levels or with hypertension, glucose levels or diabetes and ghrelin polymorphisms. However, G/G genotype of -604GA was associated with glucose >100 mg/dL. Haplotype analysis showed that only one haplotype is associated with increased risk of waist circumference and central obesity. The analysis of subjects by gender showed an important and different association of these polymorphisms regarding MS parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ghrelin gene variants -604GA, -501AC and M72L are associated with certain components of MS, in particular to BMI and lipid profile in elderly Spanish subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Mireia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.affiliation: Genotyping and Genetic Diagnosis Unit, Research Foundation, Hospital Clinic of Valencia INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.affiliation: Research Unit and Ciberhep, Hospital of Mataró, Mataró, Spain.
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palomera
authors.affiliation: Genotyping and Genetic Diagnosis Unit, Research Foundation, Hospital Clinic of Valencia INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blesa
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Hospital Clínico of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Service, Hospital of Mataró, Mataró, Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Buquet
authors.affiliation: Research Unit and Ciberhep, Hospital of Mataró, Mataró, Spain.
authors.forename: Mateu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serra-Prat
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Río Hortega, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Martín-Escudero
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palanca
authors.affiliation: Genotyping and Genetic Diagnosis Unit, Research Foundation, Hospital Clinic of Valencia INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain; CIBER Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier Felipe
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Enfermedades Raras (CIBER-ER), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puig-Domingo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin