The Pro12Ala polymorphism in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) gene in relation to obesity and metabolic phenotypes in a Taiwanese population

Obesity is considered as an important public health problem in the world. Although the association of a common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs1801282 (Pro12Ala), in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) gene with obesity has been reported in various populations, these data are not conclusive. This study aimed to reassess whether the PPARG rs1801282 SNP is linked with obesity and obesity-related metabolic traits in a Taiwanese population. A total of 674 Taiwanese subjects with general health examinations were genotyped. The rs1801282 genotype was determined by the Taqman SNP genotyping assay. Obesity-related metabolic traits such as triglyceride, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting glucose were measured. The PPARG rs1801282 SNP did not exhibit any significant association with obesity among the complete sample population. However, sex-stratified analyses revealed an effect on overweight in female participants where the carriers of the combined CG and GG genotypes had a higher risk to overweight than those with the CC homozygotes (OR = 4.05; 95 % CI = 1.28–12.83; P = 0.017). Compared to the carriers of CC homozygotes, BMI was significantly higher for the carriers of the combined CG and GG genotypes in the female subjects (24.4 ± 3.7 vs. 23.5 ± 3.8 kg/m²; P = 0.033). In addition, the carriers of the CC homozygotes had a higher total cholesterol level than those with the combined CG and GG genotypes in the female subjects (197.0 ± 37.3 vs. 180.7 ± 33.7 mg/dl; P = 0.026). Our study indicates that PPARG rs1801282 may significantly predict overweight, BMI, and total cholesterol in female but not male Taiwanese subjects.