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Friday 9 August 2013

Susceptibility Genetic Variants with Large Effects in Diabetes-Related Obesity

Segregation of a Latent High Adiposity Phenotype in Families with a History of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Implicates Rare Obesity-Susceptibility Genetic Variants with Large Effects in Diabetes-Related Obesity.


Abstract

Background

We recently reported significantly greater weight gain in non-diabetic healthy subjects with a 1st degree family history (FH+) of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) than in a matched control group without such history (FH−) during voluntary overfeeding, implying co-inheritance of susceptibilities to T2DM and obesity. We have estimated the extent and mode of inheritance of susceptibility to increased adiposity in FH+.

Methods

Normoglycaemic participants were categorised either FH+ (≥1 1st degree relative with T2DM, 50F/30M, age 45±14 (SD) yr) or FH− (71F/51M, age 43±14 yr). Log-transformed anthropometric measurements (height, hip and waist circumferences) and lean, bone and fat mass (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) data were analysed by rotated Factor Analysis. The age- and gender-adjusted distributions of indices of adiposity in FH+ were assessed by fits to a bimodal model and by relative risk ratios (RR, FH+/FH−) and interpreted in a purely genetic model of FH effects.

Results

The two orthogonal factors extracted, interpretable as Frame and Adiposity accounted for 80% of the variance in the input data. FH+ was associated with significantly higher Adiposity scores (p<0.01) without affecting Frame scores. Adiposity scores in FH+ conformed to a bimodal normal distribution, consistent with dominant expression of major susceptibility genes with 59% (95% CI 40%, 74%) of individuals under the higher mode. Calculated risk allele frequencies were 0.09 (0.02, 0.23) in FH−, 0.36 (0.22, 0.48) in FH+ and 0.62 (0.36, 0.88) in unobserved T2DM-affected family members.

Conclusions

The segregation of Adiposity in T2DM-affected families is consistent with dominant expression of rare risk variants with major effects, which are expressed in over half of FH+ and which can account for most T2DM-associated obesity in our population. The calculated risk allele frequency in FH− suggests that rare genetic variants could also account for a substantial fraction of the prevalent obesity in this society.
Graham

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Recommended read
Jeff

Lowcarb team member said...

Yet more evidence that diabetes causes obesity not vice versa.
I can understand how some finding they put on weight very easily but don't know why would just give up and give in and eat even more thus causing full blown diabetes which might have been avoided.
There have been attempts to rubbish the genetic factor -why then are we asked about it on diagnosis and advised to inform our siblings etc?

Its time for some honesty.

Kath