Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The common SNP (rs9939609) in the FTO gene modifies the association between obesity and high blood pressure in Chinese children

  • Published:
Molecular Biology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that common variants in fat mass- and obesity-associated (FTO) gene are associated with body mass index (BMI) and the risk of obesity. Since obesity plays an important role in the etiology of high blood pressure (HBP), we aim to investigate the association between obesity and HBP in a population with different variants of the FTO gene. A total of 3,494 children (1,775 boys, 50.8 %) aged 6–18 years were recruited for measuring pubertal status, BMI and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The single nucleotide polymorphism rs9939609 of the FTO gene was genotyped. The blood pressure levels increased by 1.4, 1.5 and 1.8 mmHg for systolic blood pressure and 0.8, 0.9 and 1.2 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure per 1-unit BMI increase in subjects carrying TT, TA and AA genotypes, respectively. After stratifying for FTO rs9939609 genotypes (TT, TA and AA), the odds ratios (95 % confidence intervals) of HBP in obese versus non-obese children were 4.26 (3.18–5.71), 5.13 (2.96–8.90) and 10.37 (1.59–67.43), respectively, with adjustment for age, gender and pubertal status. The FTO rs9939609 SNP modifies the effect of obesity on HBP in Chinese children, with obese ones carrying the AA homozygous genotype of the FTO rs9939609 having the highest risk of developing HBP.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Franks PW, Hanson RL, Knowler WC, Sievers ML, Bennett PH, Looker HC (2010) Childhood obesity, other cardiovascular risk factors, and premature death. N Engl J Med 362:485–493

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Reilly JJ, Kelly J (2011) Long-term impact of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence on morbidity and premature mortality in adulthood: systematic review. Int J Obes (Lond) 35:891–898

    Google Scholar 

  3. Liang YJ, Xi B, Hu YH, Wang C, Liu JT, Yan YK et al (2010) Trends in blood pressure and hypertension among Chinese children and adolescents: China Health and Nutrition Surveys 1991–2004. Blood Press 20:45–53

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Xi B, Cheng H, Shen Y, Zhao XY, Hou DQ, Wang XY et al (2012) Physical activity modifies the associations between genetic variants and hypertension in the Chinese children. Atherosclerosis. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.10.027

  5. Wang C (2011) Genetic association studies: hypertension and beyond. Hypertens Res 34:294–295

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Frayling TM, Timpson NJ, Weedon MN, Zeggini E, Freathy RM, Lindgren CM et al (2007) A common variant in the FTO gene is associated with body mass index and predisposes to childhood and adult obesity. Science 316:889–894

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Li H, Wu Y, Loos RJ, Hu FB, Liu Y, Wang J et al (2008) Variants in the fat mass- and obesity-associated (FTO) gene are not associated with obesity in a Chinese Han population. Diabetes 57:264–268

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Peeters A, Beckers S, Verrijken A, Roevens P, Peeters P, Van Gaal L et al (2008) Variants in the FTO gene are associated with common obesity in the Belgian population. Mol Genet Metab 93:481–484

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Gonzalez-Sanchez JL, Zabena C, Martinez-Larrad MT, Martinez-Calatrava MJ, Perez-Barba M, Serrano-Rios M (2009) Variant rs9939609 in the FTO gene is associated with obesity in an adult population from Spain. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 70:390–393

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hotta K, Nakata Y, Matsuo T, Kamohara S, Kotani K, Komatsu R et al (2008) Variations in the FTO gene are associated with severe obesity in the Japanese. J Hum Genet 53:546–553

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Li X, Song F, Jiang H, Zhang M, Lin J, Bao W et al (2010) A genetic variation in the fat mass- and obesity-associated gene is associated with obesity and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in a Chinese population. Diabetes Metab Res Rev 26:128–132

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Xi B, Mi J (2009) FTO polymorphisms are associated with obesity but not with diabetes in East Asian populations: a meta-analysis. Biomed Environ Sci 22:449–457

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kurukulasuriya LR, Stas S, Lastra G, Manrique C, Sowers JR (2008) Hypertension in obesity. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 37:647–662, ix

    Google Scholar 

  14. Bogaert YE, Linas S (2009) The role of obesity in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Nat Clin Pract Nephrol 5:101–111

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Reisin E, Jack AV (2009) Obesity and hypertension: mechanisms, cardio-renal consequences, and therapeutic approaches. Med Clin North Am 93:733–751

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kotsis V, Stabouli S, Papakatsika S, Rizos Z, Parati G (2010) Mechanisms of obesity-induced hypertension. Hypertens Res 33:386–393

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Kotchen TA (2010) Obesity-related hypertension: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical management. Am J Hypertens 23:1170–1178

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Xi B, Shen Y, Zhang M, Liu X, Zhao X, Wu L et al (2010) The common rs9939609 variant of the fat mass and obesity-associated gene is associated with obesity risk in children and adolescents of Beijing, China. BMC Med Genet 11:107

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Mi J, Cheng H, Hou DQ, Duan JL, Teng HH, Wang YF (2006) Prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in Beijing in 2004. Chinese Journal of of Epidemiology (Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi) 27:469–474

    Google Scholar 

  20. Marshall WA, Tanner JM (1986) In: Falkner F, Tanner JM (eds) Human growth: a comprehensive treatise, 2nd edn. Plenum Press, New York. 171-209, ISBN 170-306-41952-41951

  21. (1996) Hypertension control. Report of a WHO Expert Committee. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser, vol 862, pp 1–83

  22. Ji CY (2005) Report on childhood obesity in China (1)—body mass index reference for screening overweight and obesity in Chinese school-age children. Biomed Environ Sci 18:390–400

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. (1995) Physical status: the use and interpretation of anthropometry. Report of a WHO Expert Committee. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser, vol 854, pp 1–452

  24. (2004) The fourth report on the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure in children and adolescents. Pediatrics 114:555–576

  25. Germer S, Higuchi R (2003) Homogeneous allele-specific PCR in SNP genotyping. Methods Mol Biol 212:197–214

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Xi B, He D, Wang Q, Xue J, Liu M, Li J (2012) Common polymorphisms (rs2241766 and rs1501299) in the ADIPOQ gene are not associated with hypertension susceptibility among the Chinese. Mol Biol Rep 39:8771–8775

    Google Scholar 

  27. Xi B, Wang Q, Pan H (2012) Transforming growth factor-β1 gene +869T/C, but not +915G/C polymorphism is associated with essential hypertension in a Chinese patient cohort. Mol Biol Rep 39:6107–6112

    Google Scholar 

  28. Cecil JE, Tavendale R, Watt P, Hetherington MM, Palmer CN (2008) An obesity-associated FTO gene variant and increased energy intake in children. N Engl J Med 359:2558–2566

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Tanofsky-Kraff M, Han JC, Anandalingam K, Shomaker LB, Columbo KM, Wolkoff LE et al (2009) The FTO gene rs9939609 obesity-risk allele and loss of control over eating. Am J Clin Nutr 90:1483–1488

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Zhao J, Bradfield JP, Li M, Wang K, Zhang H, Kim CE et al (2009) The role of obesity-associated loci identified in genome-wide association studies in the determination of pediatric BMI. Obesity (Silver Spring) 17:2254–2257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Timpson NJ, Harbord R, Davey Smith G, Zacho J, Tybjaerg-Hansen A, Nordestgaard BG (2009) Does greater adiposity increase blood pressure and hypertension risk?: Mendelian randomization using the FTO/MC4R genotype. Hypertension 54:84–90

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Pausova Z, Syme C, Abrahamowicz M, Xiao Y, Leonard GT, Perron M et al (2009) A common variant of the FTO gene is associated with not only increased adiposity but also elevated blood pressure in French Canadians. Circ Cardiovasc Genet 2:260–269

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Ahmad T, Chasman DI, Mora S, Paré G, Cook NR, Buring JE et al (2010) The fat-mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene, physical activity, and risk of incident cardiovascular events in white women. Am Heart J 160:1163–1169

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Hotta K, Kitamoto T, Kitamoto A, Mizusawa S, Matsuo T, Nakata Y et al (2011) Association of variations in the FTO, SCG3 and MTMR9 genes with metabolic syndrome in a Japanese population. J Hum Genet 56:647–651

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Melka MG, Bernard M, Mahboubi A, Abrahamowicz M, Paterson AD, Syme C et al (2012) Genome-wide scan for loci of adolescent obesity and their relationship with blood pressure. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 97:E145–E150

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Mangge H, Renner W, Almer G, Weghuber D, Möller R, Horejsi R (2011) Rs9939609 variant of the fat mass and obesity-associated gene and trunk obesity in adolescents. J Obes. 2011:186368

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Willer CJ, Speliotes EK, Loos RJ, Li S, Lindgren CM, Heid IM et al (2009) Six new loci associated with body mass index highlight a neuronal influence on body weight regulation. Nat Genet 4:25–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Sjogren M, Lyssenko V, Jonsson A, Berglund G, Nilsson P, Groop L et al (2008) The search for putative unifying genetic factors for components of the metabolic syndrome. Diabetologia 51:2242–2251

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Al-Attar SA, Pollex RL, Ban MR, Young TK, Bjerregaard P, Anand SS et al (2008) Association between the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism and the metabolic syndrome in a non-Caucasian multi-ethnic sample. Cardiovasc Diabetol 7:5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Freathy RM, Timpson NJ, Lawlor DA, Pouta A, Ben-Shlomo Y, Ruokonen A et al (2008) Common variation in the FTO gene alters diabetes-related metabolic traits to the extent expected given its effect on BMI. Diabetes 57:1419–1426

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Wang T, Huang Y, Xiao XH, Wang DM, Diao CM, Zhang F et al (2010) The association between common genetic variation in the FTO gene and metabolic syndrome in Han Chinese. Chin Med J (Engl) 123:1852–1858

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Baik I, Shin C (2012) Interactions between the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism, body mass index, and lifestyle-related factors on metabolic syndrome risk. Nutr Res Pract 6:78–85

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from National “Twelfth Five-Year” Plan for Science & Technology Support Program (2012BAI03B03), the Beijing Health System Leading Talent Grant (No. 2009-1-08), National Natural Science Foundation of China (30872165), Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (H030930030031, D08050700320000), the Beijing Hypertension League Institute, National Infrastructure Program of Chinese Genetic Resources (2005DKA21300), the Foundation for Outstanding Young Scientist in Shandong Province (BS2011YY026), and Independent Innovation Foundation of Shandong University (2010GN046).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Maternal and Child Health Care, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China

    Bo Xi

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, 2 Ya Bao Road, Beijing, 100020, China

    Bo Xi, Meixian Zhang, Xiaoyuan Zhao & Jie Mi

  3. Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Chunyu Wang

  4. Laboratory of Human Genetics, Beijing Hypertension League Institute, Beijing, 100043, China

    Yue Shen & Xingyu Wang

Authors
  1. Bo Xi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Meixian Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chunyu Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yue Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xiaoyuan Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xingyu Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Jie Mi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jie Mi.

Additional information

Bo Xi and Meixian Zhang contributed equally to this work.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xi, B., Zhang, M., Wang, C. et al. The common SNP (rs9939609) in the FTO gene modifies the association between obesity and high blood pressure in Chinese children. Mol Biol Rep 40, 773–778 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-012-2113-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-012-2113-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation