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FTO influences on longitudinal BMI over childhood and adulthood and modulation on relationship between birth weight and longitudinal BMI

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Abstract

SNP rs9939609 within the fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) is strongly associated with adult body mass index (BMI). However, influences of FTO on longitudinal BMI change from childhood to adulthood have not been examined. Knowledge is limited on FTO, modulating the association between birth weight and longitudinal change of BMI. This longitudinal study examined SNPs of FTO in 658 white subjects from childhood (3–17 years) to adulthood (18–45 years). No significant associations of FTO SNPs with either birth weight or longitudinal BMI over childhood were noted after multiple-test adjustment. However, three SNPs (rs9939609, rs17820875 and rs860713) with different inheritance patterns were identified to be associated with longitudinal BMI over adulthood after Bonferroni adjustment (P = 5.3 × 10−5, 2.0 × 10−4 and 0.001). In addition, interactions were discovered between birth weight and SNPs of rs17820875 (P = 0.001) and rs860713 (0.002). A negative association between birth weight and adult BMI were found in risk genotype AG of rs17820875 and GG of rs860713 in contrast to positive associations in other genotypes. These findings led to the conclusion that lower birth weight predisposes to higher adult BMI depending on FTO risk genotypes. Our studies underscore the importance of FTO influences on obesity and provide insights into the evolution of the long-term burden of obesity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Hao Mei

  2. Tulane Center for Cardiovascular Health, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Wei Chen & Sathanur R. Srinivasan

  3. Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Fan Jiang

  4. Scripps Genomic Medicine and Scripps Translational Science Institute, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA

    Nicholas Schork, Sarah Murray & Erin Smith

  5. Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Joanne D. So

  6. Center for Cardiovascular Health, 1440 Canal St, Suite 1829, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    Gerald S. Berenson

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  1. Hao Mei
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  2. Wei Chen
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  3. Sathanur R. Srinivasan
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  4. Fan Jiang
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  5. Nicholas Schork
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  7. Erin Smith
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  8. Joanne D. So
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  9. Gerald S. Berenson
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Correspondence to Gerald S. Berenson.

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Mei, H., Chen, W., Srinivasan, S.R. et al. FTO influences on longitudinal BMI over childhood and adulthood and modulation on relationship between birth weight and longitudinal BMI. Hum Genet 128, 589–596 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00439-010-0883-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00439-010-0883-7

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