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Integrative Biology

Association between melanocortin-4 receptor mutations and eating behaviors in obese patients: a case–control study

Abstract

Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene mutations are involved in the leptin-melanocortin pathways that control food intake. The effect of these mutations on eating behavior phenotypes is still debated. To determine the association between functional MC4R mutations and eating behaviors, dietary intake and physical activity, we sequenced the MC4R gene in 4653 obese adults. Among them, 19 adults carriers of functional MC4R mutation were matched on age, sex and body mass index with two randomly-paired controls without MC4R mutation (n=57). We found that eating behaviors and physical activity did not differ between groups. In particular, cases were not at increased risk of binge eating disorders. Subjects carriers of MC4R mutation reported a higher proportion of dietary carbohydrates intakes (43.2±7.1 and 39.2±8.1% of total energy intake, respectively, P=0.048) and a lower proportion of dietary lipids (34.3±6.7 and 38.5±6.7% of total energy intake, respectively, P=0.018). In conclusion, mutation carriers differ from controls by a higher consumption of carbohydrates counterbalanced by a lower consumption of lipids expressed as percentage of total energy intake. However, functional MC4R mutations do not have a higher risk of compulsive eating contrary to what was previously suggested.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge Rohia Alili and Florence Marchelli for collecting the data and all the patients and the medical and nursing staff from the participating Pitié-Salpétrière hospital, Paris, France for their cooperation. Research was funded by a research grant from the foundation NRJ- Institute de France and Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique (APHP, 1997). MV is supported by a doctoral scholarship from the University Paris 13.

Author contributions

MV, SC, KC and CP designed the research; MV conducted the research; MV provided essential materials; JLB performed genomic sequencing; MV performed the statistical analyses; MV and SC wrote the paper; FB, EK, CP, CC, JLB, SH and KC critically revised the manuscript; MV, SC, FB, EK, CP, CC, JLB, SH and KC read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to K Clément.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Supplementary Information accompanies this paper on International Journal of Obesity website

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Valette, M., Poitou, C., Kesse-Guyot, E. et al. Association between melanocortin-4 receptor mutations and eating behaviors in obese patients: a case–control study. Int J Obes 38, 883–885 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2013.190

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