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Association of the MC4R rs17782313 polymorphism with plasma ghrelin, leptin, IL6 and TNFα concentrations, food intake and eating behaviors in morbidly obese women

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Abstract

Purpose

The rs17782313 variant of the MC4R gene plays an important role in the obesity phenotype. Studies that evaluate environmental factors and genetic variants associated with obesity may represent a great advance in understanding the development of this disease. This work seeks to assess the association of the polymorphism of MC4R rs17782313 on plasma parameters, including leptin, ghrelin, tumor necrosis factor (TNFα) and interleukin 6 (IL6), and on the eating behaviors of morbidly obese women.

Methods

70 adult women with BMI between 40 and 60 kg/m2 were recruited. Laboratory and anthropometric data were recorded. Using a visual analog scale (VAS), the feelings of hunger and satiety were evaluated. The presence or absence of binge eating was evaluated through the Binge Eating Scale (BES) questionnaire. Habitual food intake was analyzed using 3-day dietary records. TaqMan® assays were conducted using real-time PCR to assess genotype polymorphism variants from peripheral blood DNA.

Results

This study found that female patients with the MC4R rs17782313 polymorphism had high levels of ghrelin and reduced levels of IL6 in the postprandial period. We observed a higher prevalence of severe binge eating in more than 50% of women with at least one risk allele.

Conclusion

Our hypothesis is that the MC4R rs17782313 polymorphism may influence the release of ghrelin, even without being associated with feelings of hunger and satiety. More than half of women with this polymorphism exhibited severe binge eating.

Level of evidence

Level III: case–control analytic study.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Rosimere Lima for her excellent work with the participants. We are grateful to patients who kindly agreed to participate in this study. This work was supported by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Research Support in the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) and Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).

Funding

This work was supported by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Research Support in the State of Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) and Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Carlos Chagas Filho Avenue, 373, CCS, Block J, 2nd Floor, University City, Fundão Island, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-590, Brazil

    Fernanda Cristina Carvalho Mattos Magno, Helena Chrispim Guaraná, Aline Pereira Pedrosa & Eliane Lopes Rosado

  2. Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Brazil Avenue, 4365, Leônidas Deane Building, 6th Floor, Human Genetics Laboratory, Room 615, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil

    Ana Carolina Proença da Fonseca, Verônica Marques Zembrzuski, Pedro Hernan Cabello & Giselda Maria Kalil Cabello

  3. Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Brazil Avenue, 4365, Pavilion 108, Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Room 44, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21040-900, Brazil

    Ana Carolina Proença da Fonseca

  4. Human Genetics Laboratory, Professor José de Souza Herdy Street, 1160, Jardim Vinte E Cinco de Agosto, Duque de Caxias, RJ, 25071-202, Brazil

    Pedro Hernan Cabello

  5. Department of Nutrology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, University Hospital Clementino Fraga Filho, Professor Rodolpho Paulo Rocco Street, 255, 9th Floor, University City, Fundão Island, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-913, Brazil

    Fernanda Cristina Carvalho Mattos Magno & João Régis Ivar Carneiro

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  1. Fernanda Cristina Carvalho Mattos Magno
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Correspondence to Fernanda Cristina Carvalho Mattos Magno.

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This study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of the University Hospital Clementino Fraga Filho.

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Magno, F.C.C.M., Guaraná, H.C., da Fonseca, A.C.P. et al. Association of the MC4R rs17782313 polymorphism with plasma ghrelin, leptin, IL6 and TNFα concentrations, food intake and eating behaviors in morbidly obese women. Eat Weight Disord 26, 1079–1087 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-020-01003-5

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