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Association between obesity and a polymorphism in the β1-adrenoceptor gene (Gly389Arg ADRB1) in Caucasian women

International Journal of Obesity volume 26, pages 633–639 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction: Genetic variants affecting adrenoceptors have been suggested to influence body fatness. A putative gain-of-function polymorphism in the β1-adrenoceptor was recently discovered (Gly389Arg ADRB1). We examined the association between Gly389Arg ADRB1 and obesity status in a large cohort of well-characterized individuals.

Methods: First, a large cohort of 931 Caucasian women (55.0±12.2 y) were genotyped for Gly389Arg ADRBβ1 and we examined the association of the Arg allele with body weight and BMI (Gly/Gly, n=54; Gly/Arg, n=360; Arg/Arg, n=517). To further examine phenotypes regulating energy balance and body fatness, we examined the contribution of the Arg allele to body composition (DEXA), fat distribution (CT scan), resting energy expenditure, energy and macronutrient intake, maximal oxygen capacity, and physical activity in a subsample of 214 women from the main cohort that had been carefully characterized (Gly/Gly, n=19; Gly/Arg, n=82; Arg/Arg, n=113).

Results: In the entire cohort (n=931), allele frequencies were 0.25 and 0.75 for the Gly and Arg alleles, respectively. In this cohort, we found that each Arg allele was associated with greater body weight of 2.91 kg (P=0.01) and BMI of 0.86 kg/m2 (P=0.05). Accordingly, in the subsample of women, each Arg allele was associated with greater fat mass (3.71 kg; P=0.008). Other phenotypes were not significantly associated with the presence of the Arg allele.

Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate the relationship between the Gly389Arg ADRB1 variant and obesity. We found that the Arg allele is associated with greater body weight and BMI in Caucasian women due to a greater fat mass.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all volunteers who participated in this study and to the General Clinical Research Center of University of Vermont staff for their medical and technical assistance. This study was supported by NIH (DK 52752; Dr Poehlman), Centre de recherche de I'Institut de Gériatrie de l'Université de Sherbrooke (Dr Dionne), and Medical Research Council of Canada (Dr Dionne). We also thank Dr Clifton Bogardus for providing access to DNA samples from Pima Indians, and Drs Michael Stern and Braxton D Mitchell, Jr for providing DNA samples from Mexican Americans.

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Author notes

  1. IJ Dionne

    Present address: Research Center on Aging, Geriatric Institute of University of Sherbrooke, 1036 Belvédère Sud, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H 4C4, Canada

  2. ET Poehlman

    Present address: Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Qué, H3T 1A8, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology and Metabolic Research Unit, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA

    IJ Dionne, AA Nolan & ET Poehlman

  2. Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Diabetes and Nutrition, and Baltimore Veterans Administration Geriatric Research and Education Clinical Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    MJ Garant, TI Pollin, DG Lewis & AR Shuldiner

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Correspondence to ET Poehlman.

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Dionne, I., Garant, M., Nolan, A. et al. Association between obesity and a polymorphism in the β1-adrenoceptor gene (Gly389Arg ADRB1) in Caucasian women. Int J Obes 26, 633–639 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801971

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