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. 2008 Aug;57(8):2245-52.
doi: 10.2337/db08-0377. Epub 2008 May 16.

Common variation in the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene confers risk of obesity and modulates BMI in the Chinese population

Yi-Cheng Chang  1 , Pi-Hua Liu, Wei-Jei Lee, Tien-Jyun Chang, Yi-Der Jiang, Hung-Yuan Li, Shan-Shan Kuo, Kuang-Chin Lee, Lee-Ming Chuang
Affiliations

Common variation in the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene confers risk of obesity and modulates BMI in the Chinese population

Yi-Cheng Chang et al. Diabetes. 2008 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: Genetic variants in the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene have been linked with obesity and type 2 diabetes in European populations. We aimed to test the role of FTO genetic variants in obesity and type 2 diabetes in the Chinese population.

Research design and methods: We genotyped 19 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning from the 3' end of the neighboring RPGRIP1L gene to the 5' flanking region of the FTO gene. We analyzed their associations with obesity (638 case and 1,610 control subjects), type 2 diabetes (759 case and 784 control subjects), and obesity-related traits in nondiabetic subjects.

Results: Among the 19 SNPs, the rs9939609 A allele was strongly associated with obesity (P = 7.0 x 10(-4)) and BMI (P = 0.0024) in the Chinese population. The odds ratio for obesity was 2.60 (95% CI 1.24-5.46) (P = 0.011) for the AA genotype and 1.32 (1.05-1.66) (P = 0.018) for the AT genotype compared with the TT genotype. Each additional copy of the rs9936609 A allele was associated with a BMI increase of approximately 0.37 kg/m(2). The rs9939609 A allele was substantially less common in the Chinese population than in the European population (12.6 vs. 45%). We did not find significant associations of the 19 SNPs with type 2 diabetes or other obesity-related traits.

Conclusions: Genetic variation in the FTO gene is strongly associated with obesity and BMI in the Chinese population. The risk variant is less common in the Chinese population, but its effect size on BMI is comparable with that in the European population.

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Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
Graphical representation of SNPs in relation to the exon-intron structure (upper part) and Haploview LD graph of the FTO gene (lower part). The exon regions are shown with filled rectangles and numbered in order. Pairwise LD coefficients D′ × 100 was shown in each cell (D′ values of 1.0 were not shown). Alternative D′/logarithm of odds color scheme of Haploview was applied for LD color display (high logarithm of odds score and high D′ in black; high logarithm of odds score and low D′ in white; low logarithm of odds score and high D′ in shades of gray; low logarithm of odds score and low D′ in white).
FIG. 2.
FIG. 2.
Associations of SNPs near the FTO and RPGRIP1L gene regions of chromosome 16 with obesity and BMI in the Chinese population.
FIG. 3.
FIG. 3.
BMI according to genotype at rs9939609. Data were expressed as means ±SE (error bars).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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