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Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism and low serum oxytocin level are associated with hyperphagia and obesity in adolescents

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Abstract

Background/Objectives

In recent years, oxytocin (OXT) and polymorphisms in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene have been reported to play roles in obesity pathogenesis. However, there was no study evaluating OXTR gene variants in childhood obesity. The aim of the study was to investigate the relation of OXTR gene polymorphisms and serum OXT levels with metabolic and anthropometric parameters in obese and healthy adolescents.

Subjects/Methods

The study was a multi-centered case-control study, which was conducted on obese and healthy adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years. Serum OXT and leptin levels were measured, and OXTR gene variants were studied by qPCR (rs53576) and RFLP (rs2254298) methods.

Results

A total of 250 obese and 250 healthy adolescents were included in this study. In the obese group, serum OXT level was lower and leptin level was higher than the control group. In the obese group, frequencies of homozygous mutant (G/G) and heterozygous (A/G) genotypes for rs53576 polymorphism were higher than the control group. Homozygous mutant(G/G) and heterozygous (A/G) genotypes for rs53576 polymorphism were found to increase the risk of obesity compared to the wild type (A/A) genotype [OR = 6.05 and OR = 3.06; p < 0.001, respectively]. In patients with homozygous mutant (G/G) and heterozygous (A/G) genotype for rs53576 polymorphism, serum OXT levels were lower than the wild type (A/A) genotype. In the obese group, hyperphagia score was higher than the control group and correlated negatively with serum OXT level.

Conclusions

This study revealed that low serum OXT level, which is associated with hyperphagia may be an underlying cause for obesity in adolescents. For rs53576 polymorphism of the OXTR gene, obesity risk is higher in patients with homozygous mutant(G/G) and heterozygous(A/G)genotypes.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the TÜBİTAK unit and its employees who provided scientific and financial support for the evaluation of the project application.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Izmir KatipÇelebi University, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey

    Gönül Çatli & Bumin Nuri Dündar

  2. Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey

    Sezer Acar & Ayhan Abacı

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Sağlik Bilimleri University, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey

    Gülten Cingöz

  4. Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey

    Khayala Rasulova, Ayça Kanat Yarim & Sefa Kızıldağ

  5. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Sağlik Bilimleri University, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey

    Hamide Uzun

  6. Department of Biochemistry, Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey

    Tuncay Küme

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  1. Gönül Çatli
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Contributions

GC and SA performed the anthropometric measurements and filled the case report forms, GÇ and AA were involved in planning and supervised the work, performed the SPSS analysis, drafted the manuscript and designed the Tables. HU performed bioelectrical impedance analysis. TK measured the serum leptin and OXT levels by ELISA methods, KR, AKY, and SK studied OXTR gene variants, GÇ, AA, and BND aided in interpreting the results and worked on the manuscript. All authors discussed the results and commented on the manuscript.

Funding

This study was funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) ARDEB 3001 Grant No: 217S219.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gönül Çatli.

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Çatli, G., Acar, S., Cingöz, G. et al. Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism and low serum oxytocin level are associated with hyperphagia and obesity in adolescents. Int J Obes 45, 2064–2073 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00876-5

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