title: Neuropeptide Y gene-by-psychosocial stress interaction effect is associated with obesity in a Korean population.
abstract: Chronic psychosocial stress is a crucial risk factor in the development of many diseases including obesity. Neuropeptide Y (NPY), distributed throughout the peripheral and central nervous system, is believed to pay a role in the pathophysiologic relationship between stress and obesity. Although several animal studies have investigated the impact on obesity of interactions between NPY single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and stress, the same remains to be analyzed in humans.
  
  
  
  To identify NPY gene-by-stress interaction effects on human obesity, we analyzed the interaction between four NPY SNPs and stress with obesity-related traits, including visceral adipose tissue (VAT). A total of 1468 adult subjects were included for this analysis.
  
  
  
  In a SNP-only model without interaction with stress, no significant SNPs were found (pSNP>0.05). However, NPY SNPs-by-stress interaction effects were significantly linked to body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and VAT (pint<0.05), even though a significant interaction effect for rs16135 on BMI was not identified. These significant interaction effects were also detected in interaction results for the binary traits of obesity. Among the obesity traits, mean changes of VAT by increased stress levels in homozygous risk allele carriers were the greatest (range of mean increases for four SNPs (min-max)=12.57cm(2)-29.86cm(2)).
  
  
  
  This study suggests that common polymorphisms for NPY were associated with human obesity by interacting with psychosocial stress, emphasizing the need for stress management in obesity prevention.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung-Bok
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yaemin00@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jin-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Min
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y
keywords: Gene-environmental interaction; Human obesity; NPY; SNP; Stress