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UCP2 A55V variant is associated with obesity and related phenotypes in an aboriginal community in Taiwan

International Journal of Obesity volume 31, pages 1746–1752 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

Human uncoupling proteins 2 and 3 (UCP2 and UCP3) are two mitochondrial proteins that are involved in the control of metabolism of fatty acid and possibly protect against oxidative damage. The aim of this study was to analyze genetic associations of four polymorphisms of the UCP2 and UCP3 genes with insulin, leptin concentration and obesity in Taiwan aborigines.

Research methods:

Four polymorphisms were compared in 324 obese (body mass index (BMI) ⩾30 kg/m2) and overweight (30>BMI ⩾25 kg/m2) subjects, and 114 normal weight subjects (BMI <25 kg/m2) in an aboriginal community of southern Taiwan. Anthropometric characteristics and fasting levels of insulin, leptin, triglycerides and cholesterol were measured.

Results:

Before and after adjusting for age distribution, only the Val55 allele in exon 4 of the UCP2 gene increased the risk of overweight and obesity (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=2.02, P=0.004) in comparison with Ala55. UCP2 V55V is also associated with higher fasting insulin levels than A55V (P=0.01) and A55A (P=0.04) in the obese/overweight group. Using the COCAPHASE program of the UNPHASED software, haplotype analysis of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (A55V-G866A-C-55T) revealed that A-G-C (73% in obese subjects and 77% in controls) was the most common haplotype and that the haplotype V-A-T (13% in obese subjects and 5% in controls) was significantly increased in obese and overweight subjects (BMI ⩾25 kg/m2) (OR=2.62, P<0.001).

Discussions:

UCP2 A55V variant might predispose to obesity and Val55 allele to confer population-attributable risk for 9.5% of obese disorders and increase insulin concentrations. The V-A-T haplotype within UCP2-UCP3 gene cluster is also significantly associated with obesity in Paiwan aborigines.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the National Health Research Institute (NHRI-EX90-8803PL), Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU92-Q-01) and the National Science Council (NSC 92-2320-B-037-037), Taiwan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    T N Wang, H L Lin & C H Hsiang

  2. Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan

    M C Huang & Y C Ko

  3. Department of Nutrition, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan

    M C Huang

  4. Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, Australia

    A M J Ko

  5. Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan

    W T Chang

  6. Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan

    Y C Ko

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Correspondence to Y C Ko.

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Wang, T., Huang, M., Lin, H. et al. UCP2 A55V variant is associated with obesity and related phenotypes in an aboriginal community in Taiwan. Int J Obes 31, 1746–1752 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803648

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