Impact of physical exercise intervention and PPARγ genetic polymorphisms on cardio-metabolic parameters among a Chinese youth population

Abstract

Objective: Physical inactivity inChinese youth students particularly in senior high schools, who participate inthe National Higher Education Entrance Examination (NCEE) is very common. Inorder to explore the beneficial effects from physical exercise and education afterNCEE, we performed a Physicalexercise Intervention Program in the Youth (PiPy) to evaluate the interaction with PPARγ genetic variants on cardiovascular and metabolicparameters.

Methods: A total of 772 freshmen (males 610/females162) from high schools to university were recruited into the PiPy cohort, which was designedaccording to the National Student Health Standards in China. Anthropometric data were collected, whilephysical activities and body composition at the baseline of PiPy cohort weremeasured with SECAprotocols. Eighttagged single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PPAR γ gene were genotyped with TaqMan allelicdiscrimination.

Results: After physical exercise intervention forthree months, in parallel with increased physical activities, BMI and skeletalmuscle content in all subjects was enhanced, while heart rate and bloodpressures were decreased. Furthermore, SNPs in 5'-UTR of the PPARγ gene, including rs2920502, rs9817428 and rs2972164, were found to be associated with the changes of BMI. Body weight in the subjects with BMI <18.5and 18.5-23.9 kg/m² were increased, while the obese subjects (BMI ≥24.0 kg/m²) decreased.

Conclusion: The present study for the first timedemonstrated that the PiPy could improve cardio-metabolic parameters such asheart rate, blood pressures and BMI for Chinese youth students after NCEE, inwhich the genetic interactive effects of PPAR γ should be included into obesityintervention.

Keywords: exercise; genetics; obesity; public health; university.

Figure 1

The PPARγ gene structure and the positions of single nucleotide polymorphisms. The PPAR gene consists of 13 exons. In this gene, There are 5′-UTR in exons 1–7 and 3′-UTR in exons 10–13. There are two non-synonymous SNPs that is, rs1801282 (C/G, Pro12Ala) and rs3856806 (C/T, His449His). Five intronic SNPs, including rs2920502(C/G), rs9817428 (A/C), rs12631819 (G/A), rs2972164 (C/T) and rs13433696 (A/G) are located from exon 1 to exon 6, while one SNP rs1175543 (A/G) resides in intron 11. The coding exons are highlighted in dark and untranslated exons in grey. PPAR, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor; SNP, single nucleotide polymorphism; UTR, untranslated region.

Figure 2

Changed BMI values according to the genotypes of PPARγ genetic polymorphisms. Three SNPs that is, rs2920502, rs9817428 and rs2972164 were found to be interacted with changed metabolic parameter of BMI from the baseline to PiPy. In the subjects with BMI values<18.5 and 18.5–23.9 kg/m², these three SNPs were associated with increased BMI. The association pattern among the subjects with BMI value 24.0–27.9 kg/m² was found to be partially reversed. Furthermore, SNP rs2920502 had impact in BMI (p<0.05). Each additional copy of the minor allele of this polymorphism increased the reduction of BMI in the range of BMI≥28 kg/m² (p<0.05). SNP rs2972164 increased the reduction of BMI in the range of BMI≥28 kg/m² (p=0.005), while each additional copy of minor allele of rs9817428 decreased the reduction of BMI in the range of BMI≥28 kg/m². BMI, body mass index; PiPy, Physical exercise Intervention Program in the Youth; SNP, single nucleotide polymorphism.