The absence of polymorphisms in ADRB3, UCP1, PPARγ, and ADIPOQ genes protects morbid obese patients toward insulin resistance

Background and aims: The insulin resistance (IR) is a major metabolic impairment in severe obesity, a multifactorial disease in which the importance of the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) associations in different rather than individual genes was established. The aim of this study was to test the predictive value of presence/absence of polymorphisms/variants in beta 3-adrenergic receptor (ADRB3), uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma), and adiponectin (ADIPOQ) genes in diagnosing the IR in obesity. Subjects and methods: We studied 112 (40 males, 72 females) severely obese (body mass index: 48.5 +/- 7.5 kg/m(2))subjects recruited from the outpatient obesity clinic of Federico II University Hospital in Naples. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral leukocytes with a commercial kit. The gene polymorphisms Trp64Arg in ADRB3, -3826 A>G in UCP1, Pro12Ala in PPAR gamma, and c.268G>A, c.331T>C, and c.334C>T in ADIPOQ were characterized by TaqMan assay or by direct sequencing (ADIPOQ). Results and conclusion: Our results demonstrate that -3826A>G UCP1 polymorphism is associated with IR in morbid obesity. Further, the lack of any polymorphisms, Trp64Arg in ADRB3 and/or -3826 A>G in UCP1 and/or Pro12Ala in PPAR gamma and/or c.268G>A, c.331T>C and c.334C>T in ADIPOQ, appears a useful prognostic factor (NPV=100%) toward the IR onset in these obese patients representing a further parameter for an earlier and appropriate therapy. (J. Endocrinol. Invest. 35: 2-4, 2012) 2012, Editrice Kurtis