title: Association of polymorphisms in 5-HTT (SLC6A4) and MAOA genes with measures of obesity in young adults of Portuguese origin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of polymorphisms in SLC6A4 and MAOA genes with overweight (including obesity).
  
  
  METHODS
  Young adults (n = 535) of Portuguese origin were genotyped for the SLC6A4 polymorphisms 5-HTTLPR and STin2 and a MAOA VNTR. BMI and body fat percentage were measured and a questionnaire was used to assess individual's sport practicing habits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In whole study sample, haplotype-based analysis revealed significant association with overweight/obesity for the individual 5-HTTLPR/Stin2 haplotype L10 (p = 0.04). In men, the MAOA 3R genotype was nominally associated with body fat (p = 0.04). In inactive individuals, overweight/obesity was found significantly associated with 5-HTTLPR L-allele (p = 0.01) and nominally associated with STin2 10-allele (p = 0.03). A significant association was also found testing for all haplotype effects (χ(2 )= 8.7; p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found some evidences for the association of SLC6A4 and MAOA genes with measures of obesity. Our results suggest physical inactivity accentuates the influence of SLC6A4 polymorphisms on obesity risk.
authors.affiliation: a Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), Department of Life Sciences , University of Coimbra , Portugal.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: a Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), Department of Life Sciences , University of Coimbra , Portugal.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muc
authors.affiliation: a Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), Department of Life Sciences , University of Coimbra , Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Padez
authors.affiliation: a Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), Department of Life Sciences , University of Coimbra , Portugal.
authors.forename: Licínio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D060005:Genotyping Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D009765:Obesity / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011174:Portugal; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; C579458:monoamine oxidase A, human
keywords: 5-HTTLPR and STin2 polymorphisms; MAOA VNTR polymorphism; Portugal; overweight and obesity; serotonin transporter