Uncoupling protein 2 gene polymorphisms are associated with obesity

• Main Authors: Oktavianthi Sukma, Trimarsanto Hidayat, Febinia Clarissa A, Suastika Ketut, Saraswati Made R, Dwipayana Pande, Arindrarto Wibowo, Sudoyo Herawati, Malik Safarina G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2012-04-01
• Series: Cardiovascular Diabetology
• Subjects: UCP2; Ala55Val; G(−866)A; Obesity; Serum lipids; Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Online Access: http://www.cardiab.com/content/11/1/41

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) gene polymorphisms have been reported as genetic risk factors for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We examined the association of commonly observed UCP2 G(−866)A (rs659366) and Ala55Val (C > T) (rs660339) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with obesity, high fasting plasma glucose, and serum lipids in a Balinese population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 603 participants (278 urban and 325 rural subjects) were recruited from Bali Island, Indonesia. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) were measured. Obesity was determined based on WHO classifications for adult Asians. Participants were genotyped for G(−866)A and Ala55Val polymorphisms of the UCP2 gene.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Obesity prevalence was higher in urban subjects (51%) as compared to rural subjects (23%). The genotype, minor allele (MAF), and heterozygosity frequencies were similar between urban and rural subjects for both SNPs. All genotype frequencies were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. A combined analysis of genotypes and environment revealed that the urban subjects carrying the A/A genotype of the G(−866)A SNP have higher BMI than the rural subjects with the same genotype. Since the two SNPs showed strong linkage disequilibrium (D’ = 0.946, r² = 0.657), a haplotype analysis was performed. We found that the AT haplotype was associated with high BMI only when the urban environment was taken into account.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We have demonstrated the importance of environmental settings in studying the influence of the common UCP2 gene polymorphisms in the development of obesity in a Balinese population.</p>