199569 Understanding the Genetic Basis of the Association between Adiponectin, Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases in West Africans and African Americans

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Charles Rotimi, PhD , Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
Adebowale Adeyemo , Crggh, NHGRI/NIH, Bethesda, MD
Guanjie Chen , Crggh, NHGRI/NIH, Bethesda, MD
Jie Zhou , Crggh, NHGRI/NIH, Bethesda, MD
Hanxia Huang , Crggh, NHGRI/NIH, Bethesda, MD
Ayo P. Doumatey, PhD , National Human Genome Research Institute, CRGGH, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
Adiponectin is the most abundant and the only adipokine produced specifically by the white adipose tissue; its circulating concentration is decreased in obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Physiologically, adiponectin has anti-inflammatory, insulin sensitizing and anti-atherogenic properties. Adiponectin gene is located on chromosome 3q27, a region that has been recently associated with susceptibility to T2D and metabolic syndrome. The common adiponectin SNPs have been investigated in different populations for their role in susceptibility to T2D, obesity and cardiovascular diseases with varying results. However, there is paucity of data in populations of African descent.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the associations between 8 common adiponectin SNPs and key markers of obesity (BMI, WHR), insulin resistance and cardiovascular events (C-reactive protein -hsCRP, HDL-C, LDL-C and total cholesterol) in 315 African Americans and 247 West Africans. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters (fasting plasma glucose, insulin, hsCRP, HDL, LDL, total cholesterol and adiponectin) were measured in all subjects. The genotypes were determined using Sequenom multiplexing assays. SNP association analyses were performed using SimHap package.

We observed a significant association between SNP rs2241766 (+ 45T>G) and markers of obesity (p<0.01) and cardiovascular disease (p=0.04). The minor allele “G” was the risk allele under a recessive model in both populations. These results suggest that SNP rs2241766 may provide the pathophysiologic link between adiponectin, obesity and CVD risk in populations of African descents.

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the associations between common adiponectin polymorphisms and markers of obesity, insulin resistance and cardiovascular events.

Keywords: African American, Obesity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Ph.D. in Microbiology, Howard University, Washington DC, 2008 Thesis Title:Polymorphisms in Inflammatory Pathway Markers and Their Association With Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Populations of the African Diaspora MS in Biochemistry, University Claude Bernard,Lyon, France 1998 Research Fellow, NIH/NHGRI/CRGGH 08/2008-present Research Laboratory Manager, National Human Genome Center, Howard University, 05/2000- 07/2008
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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