Adolescent obesity and the role of the fat mass and obesity-associated gene polymorphism

Abstract

Purpose: The association between fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene and obesity is unclear in both adults and adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the role of the FTO gene variant rs9939609 as a candidate gene for obesity and the relationship between insulin resistance (IR), metabolic syndrome (MetS), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Methods: Obese adolescents (n=100) and healthy controls (n=100) were included. Rs9939609 polymorphism in the FTO gene was genotyped by PCR-SNaPshot. Results: The prevalence of insulin resistance (IR), metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hyperfiltration were 47%, 60% and 27%, respectively. There were no significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies between obese adolescents and controls; however, prevalence of MetS in female patients with A allele carriers was more frequent and prevalence of hyperfiltration was less frequent with T allele carriers (P<0.05). The NLR levels were higher in A allele carrier obese patients with IR/MetS (P<0.05). Conclusions: We could not confirm the FTO rs9939609 variant as an obesity susceptibility gene in adolescents, but we observed an association with MetS, IR, NLR and hyperfiltration. This is a preliminary study and further work is needed in an independent cohort to clarify the possible effects of FTO gene polymorphism.