Based on our results, the examined polymorphisms in the adipokine genes do not seem to be the major risk factor for obesity development in the Czech population nor significantly affect food preferences.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible associations between insertion/deletion (ID) polymorphism in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) (dbSNP rs 4646994) with the food intake and body composition in the Czech non-obese, obese and extremely obese populations. A total of 453 various-weighted individuals were enrolled in the study and were according to their BMI assigned into following subgroups, such as obese (30 B BMI \ 40), morbidly obese (BMI C40) and nonobese (20 \ BMI \ 30) subjects. Both the obese cases and the non-obese controls underwent the identical subset of standardized examinations (BMI, % body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, skin fold thickness, native dietary composition examined by 7-day food records, etc.). No significant casecontrol differences in genotype distributions or allelic frequencies were observed. There were no differences in genotype frequencies between males and females either. The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher among subjects with the II genotype (42 %) when compared with those with DD (36%) and those with ID (37%) genotypes (P = 0.04). When compared with carbohydrate intake in the whole studied cohort, the odds ratios of carrying the DD allele in the morbidly obese cohort were 0.84 (95% CI 0.34, 2.10, P = 0.17), 0.27 (0.07, 0.98, P = 0.02), and 4.25 (1.44, 12.51, P = 0.005) in those individuals consuming \210, 210-260, and [260 g of carbohydrates/day, respectively. Based on our findings, the ID ACE polymorphism could represent a gene modulator of carbohydrate intake in morbidly obese Czech population; the strong significant effect of DD genotype was observed in the phenotypes of extreme obesity with the highest carbohydrate intake.

No abstract

Personal food preferences can either enhance or suppress the development of obesity and the selection and proportion of macronutrients in the diet seem to have a heritable component. In the present study, we therefore focused on dietary composition as a specific trait related to obesity and we determined whether genetic variations in leptin (LEP), LEP receptor (LEPR), adiponectin (ADIPOQ), IL-6 and pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) underlie specific native food preferences and obesity-related anthropometric parameters. The total of 409 individuals of Czech Caucasian origin were enrolled into the present study and 7 d food records were obtained from the study subjects along with selected anthropometric measurements. In a subset of study subjects, plasma levels of ADIPOQ, LEP and soluble LEPR were measured. Independently of the BMI of the individuals, common variations in LEP and LEPR genes were associated with specific eating patterns, mainly with respect to timing of eating. The LEP þ 19A/G polymorphism served as an independent predictor for BMI, percentage of body fat and skinfold thickness and significantly affected the time structure of the daily energy intake. The POMC Rsa I polymorphism was associated with percentage of body fat. The ADIPOQ 45 T/G polymorphism was associated with the thickness of the subscapular skinfold. The LEPR Gln223Arg polymorphism was associated with multiple parameters, including diastolic blood pressure, meal sizes during the day and plasma ADIPOQ levels. In a separate analysis, soluble leptin receptor (sObR) plasma levels and LEP:sObR ratio were significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure (b ¼ 2 0·66, P¼0·002; b ¼ 21·23, P¼ 0·02) and sObR plasma levels also served as an independent predictor for diastolic blood pressure (b ¼ 2 0·50; P¼0·04). To conclude, we report common allelic variants associated with specific feeding behaviour and obesity-related anthropometric traits. Moreover, we identified allelic variants that significantly influence the time structure of food intake during the day.

Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) express enhanced catabolic metabolism finally resulting in overall weight loss, whereas adipokines might play a crucial role in signaling among tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible associations of defined variability in leptin (dbSNP ID rs7799039), proopiomelanocortin (dbSNP ID rs3754860 and dbSNP ID rs1009388), and leptin receptor gene (dbSNP rs1137101) with CHF and evaluate their potential as the CHF susceptibility genes. The case-control study comprised a total of 372 patients of Caucasian origin with chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] functional classes II-IV, ejection fraction (EF) <40%) and 407 healthy controls. They were genotyped for the leptin (LEP) -2548 G/A, leptin receptor (LEPR) Gln223Arg, and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) RsaI (5'-untranslated region) and C1032G variants (intron 1) using PCR-based methodology. No case-control differences in genotype as well as allele frequencies were observed between CHF patients and controls. We constructed POMC RsaI/C1032G haplotypes, having found no significant association with body mass index (BMI), left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricle hypertrophy (LVH) and diabetes mellitus (DM). Multivariate regression analyses revealed an approximately 2-fold risk for NYHA class IV associated with the LEPR Gln223Arg (P = 0.0000001, odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.56-2.84); it also displayed an independent prediction role for LVEF in heart failure cases of all etiologies (P = 0.002, OR = 4.05, 95% CI = 1.36-10.06). In subanalyses according to CHF etiology the LEPR Gln223Arg showed an independent prediction role for NYHA IV in IHD patients (P = 0.0001, OR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.69-3.82) and both for NYHA IV(P = 0.007, OR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.20-3.84) and LVEF (P = 0.004, OR = 11.87, 95% CI = 2.08-55.6) in DCMP patients. The role of the polymorphic variants in the genes encoding for adipokines as potential CHF susceptibility genes is unclear. Based on our findings, the LEPR Gln223Arg polymorphism could be considered a disease susceptibility modulating factor both in ischemic heart disease or dilated cardiomyopathy patients.