Primary Childhood Obesity With Rs9939609 Genetic Variant Of The FTO Gene In Tianjin Area

Fat-mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene is a gene located in chromosome region 16q12.2. Genetic variants of rs9939609 location in FTO were demonstrated had the tightest association with the obesity phenotype in European by large-population based and multi-centred studies. Genetic variants of rs9939609 is an A/T variation, A allele was found had significant association with elevated BMI in either childhood or adult European and which was considered as the risk allele for resulting in obesity. However, there was still on doubt that whether rs9939609 A/T variant had relationship with obesity in Chinese Han population. Thus, in this article we wanted to clarify whether there is significant association between rs9939609 variants with primary childhood obesity in Chinese Han populations in Tianjin area, and to investigate whether A allele could bring any significant influence to adipocyte metabolism.School aged children (7-11 years old, n=480) were divided into normal weight and obesity groups by according their BMI to a revised BMI-obesity charter. Physical information of height, body weight and waist circumstance of each individuals were recorded, their BMI and "waist to height ratio, WHtR" were thereafter calculated. Blood samples with EDTA anti coagulation were collected, subjected to plasma glycerol and free fatty acid assay as well as genotype determination. The genotype of rs9939609 location was determined by DNA isolation from anticoagulated peripheral bloods following an allele specific PCR with custom designed primers. Based on genotyping result and collected physical information the associations of rs9939609 variants with BMI, WHtR, plasma glycerol and plasma free fatty acid were statistically analyzed.As the results, (1)The genotype of rs9939609 could be successfully determined by the method of allele specific PCR performed in this article. (2)Compared with normal weight group, the frequency of rs9939609 A/A genotype was significantly elevated, while the frequency of T/T genotype was decreased in obesity group.(3) There is significant association between rs9939609 A allele with increased BMI in obesity children. (4)A/A genotype was associated with increased WHtR and T/T genotype was associated with decreased WHtR in obesity children. (5) A/A genotype was markedly associated downregulated plasma glycerol and free fatty acid concentrations.In the sum, this article supported the conclusions that genetic variants of rs9939609 location in FTO gene was significantly associated with Chinese Han children in Tianjin area. rs9939609 A allele is a risk allele for causing childhood obesity and which might be involved into obesity genesis through inhibit adipolysis.