title: Role of a common variant of Fat Mass and Obesity associated (FTO) gene in obesity and coronary artery disease in subjects from Punjab, Pakistan: a case control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The FTO gene has recently become one of the most extensively investigated genes associated with body mass and has been shown to play a role in cardiovascular diseases as well. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of a common variant of FTO gene, rs9939609 in obese and coronary heart disease (CHD) patients of Pakistan and investigate whether it has any influence on the serum biochemical parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 970 samples (295 obese, 425 CHD and 250 controls) were genotyped using TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. Serum total cholesterol, HDL-C and triglycerides were measured using spectrophotometric methods. LDL-C was calculated by Friedwalds equation. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 22.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed moderately high minor allele frequency (MAF) in obese and CHD cases as compared to controls (obese = 0.381 CAD = 0.361 and controls = 0.286). The variant was significantly associated with obesity and CAD (obesity odds ratio (OR) = 1.54, confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-2.21, p = 0.0009; CHD OR = 1.43, CI = 1.02-2.01, p = 0.004) in Pakistan. The risk allele did not show a significant association with any of the lipid trait tested (p > 0.05) but a strong association was observed with plasma glucose levels (obese p = 0.001, CAD p = 0.014, controls p = 0.019).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, the variant was associated with obesity and CAD in the studied subjects and its possible effect may involve the blood sugar metabolism but not serum lipid chemistry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan. saleemullahshahid@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Saleem Ullah
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Shahid
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan.
authors.lastname: Shabana
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan.|The Women University Multan, Multan, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shahida
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasnain
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D010154:Pakistan; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D000071516:Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO; C526492:FTO protein, human