1. ¹Department of Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany
2. ²Public Health Nutrition Unit, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Center of Life and Food Science Weihenstephan, Technical University, Munich, Germany
3. ³Department of Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
4. ⁴Department of Molecular Nutrition, Christian-Albrechts University, Kiel, Germany
5. ⁵Department of Pharmacology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Nuthetal, Germany

Correspondence: Eva Fisher (fisher@dife.de)

Received 30 May 2008; Accepted 16 July 2008; Published online 23 October 2008.

Abstract

Adipose tissue is a key factor determining C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels. Variation at the fat-mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene locus has been reported to be associated with increased body fat. We investigated whether the FTO rs9939609 T>A single nucleotide polymorphism might alter CRP levels in a population-based sample of 2,415 participants from a large prospective cohort study. Genotype/phenotype relationships were studied by linear trend analysis stratified by sex. The rs9939609 A-allele was significantly associated with CRP levels in both genders (men, +21%, P = 0.002; women, +14%, P = 0.01 per A-allele). The association was attenuated, but remained statistically significant after additional adjustment for BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and other potential confounding factors (men, +14%, P = 0.03; women, +12%, P = 0.02; per A-allele). Similar results were obtained when subjects with CRP levels higher then 10 mg/l were excluded. Our data provide preliminary evidence that the FTO rs9939609 T>A polymorphism contributes to variation in plasma CRP levels independently of obesity indices.