title: Association of RBP4 genetic variants with childhood obesity and cardiovascular risk factors.
abstract: Recent data suggest that retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) gene variants could be associated with a risk of obesity and its co-morbidities, such as metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  
  The present study examined the potential association of RBP4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with childhood obesity and its metabolic complications.
  
  
  
  Four RBP4 SNPs, rs3758538 (3944A>C), rs3758539 (4406G>A), rs12265684 (12177G>C) and rs34571439 (14684T>G), were genotyped in a population of 180 Spanish Caucasian children (97 obese and 83 normal-weight children). Association of RBP4 SNPs with obesity, metabolic risk factors (blood pressure, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin resistance) and markers of vascular inflammation, such as high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), was tested.
  
  
  
  We found SNP rs3758538 to be associated with obesity (p = 0.007). Specifically, each copy of the minor allele C was associated with an increased risk of obesity, by more than twofold, in respect of being homozygous for the major allele A (odds ratio = 2.4; 95% confidence interval = 1.2-4.8). The rs3758538 and rs34571439 RBP4 SNPs correlated with plasma RBP4 levels. The SNPs rs12265684 and rs34571439 correlated with plasma triglyceride levels. The rs34571439 was also associated to hs-CRP levels. Marginal association of RBP4 SNPs with plasma high-density lipoprotein levels (rs34571439), blood pressure (rs12265684) and insulin resistance (rs3758539) was also observed.
  
  
  
  These findings suggest that childhood obesity may be associated with variations in RBP4 gene. The presence of selective SNPs in the RBP4 gene may account for metabolic complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Peset University Hospital, Valencia, Spain. pilar.codoner@uv.es.|Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain. pilar.codoner@uv.es.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Codoñer-Franch
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.|Department of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Católica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carrasco-Luna
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allepuz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Codoñer-Alejos
authors.affiliation: Hematology and Medical Oncology Department, Medical Research Institute INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Vicent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guillem
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: C101326:RBP4 protein, human; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma
keywords: C-reactive protein; RBP4; gene polymorphisms; lipids; obesity