The FTO rs9939609 and LEPR rs1137101 mothers–newborns gene polymorphisms and maternal fat mass index effects on anthropometric characteristics in newborns

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of mothers’ and newborns’ fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) rs9939609 and leptin receptor (LEPR) rs1137101 gene polymorphisms on neonatal anthropometric parameters in order to identify a potential risk for developing obesity.We performed a cross-sectional study on 355 mother–newborn couples in an Obstetrics Gynecology Tertiary Hospital from Romania, evaluated with regard to anthropometric parameters, clinical and laboratory parameters besides 2 genetic polymorphisms (FTO rs9939609 and LEPR rs1137101).Newborns with mothers carrying variant AT or AA genotype for FTO rs9939609 presented lower BMI (P = 0.012) and lower MUAC (P = 0.029). There was a significant interaction effect between newborn and mother LEPR rs1137101 polymorphism on birth weight (P = 0.009) and BMI (P = 0.007). We noticed significantly increased birth weight and BMI in newborns carriers of AG + GG genotype, coming from mothers with AA genotype (P = 0.006). There was no evidence of significant interaction effect between newborn and mother FTO rs9939609 polymorphism on the studied anthropometrical data (P > 0.05). In addition, lower BMI scores (P = 0.042) were observed in newborns carriers of TT genotype whose mothers had AA + AT genotype. Lower MUAC scores (P = 0.041) were noticed in newborns carriers of AA + AT genotype whose mothers had AA + AT genotype for FTO rs9939609 gene polymorphism. Newborns carriers of the AG + GG genotype (P = 0.003) of LEPR rs1137101 coming from mothers with increased FMI (upper tertile) had significantly increased BMIs.Presence of the variant A allele of FTO rs9939609 polymorphism in mothers decreased BMI and MUAC in newborns. The impact of LEPR rs1137101 polymorphism on BMI and birth weight in newborns differed depending on the presence/absence of the dominant LEPR allele in mothers. In addition, we noticed that maternal FMI presented a significant positive effect on newborns’ BMI by changing the effect of LEPR rs1137101.We can conclude that mothers’ FTO rs9939609 and LEPR rs1137101 gene polymorphisms presented an impact on birth weight and newborns’ BMI, therefore being involved in the newborns’ nutritional status and in the design of a potential protocol.

Association between FTO gene polymorphism and excess body weight in women from before to after pregnancy: A cohort study

“…In our study, we attributed the non‐significant effect of the FTO gene on weight status to the lower number of participants in the 2nd follow‐up, mainly in the AA genotype group, which was the group with the smallest number of participants from the beginning. Moreover, the minor allele frequencies (MAFs) in our cohort study (baseline pre‐pregnancy: 0.33, first follow‐up: 0.29, and second follow‐up: 0.31) were lower than those found in other studies conducted on pregnant women (Marginean et al, ; Martins et al, ) and Brazilian individuals (Ramos et al, ) and in other cohort studies (Celis‐Morales et al, ; Frayling et al, ; Hallman et al, ; Qi et al, ). The low MAF may reduce the ability to see the real effect of the polymorphism due to the smaller number of women carrying at least 1 copy of the risk allele.…”

The combined effect of dietary supplement “Leptin Manager” and power fitness exercises on weight loss in women with different LEPR (rs1137101) genotypes

“…This pattern indicates that Q allele can contribute to the development of leptin resistance. The phenomenon we have established contradicts previously established postulates that R allele facilitates the development of leptin resistance (Sook-Ha, Yee How, 2014; Marginean et al, 2016). But these differences can be explained by ethnic characteristics, since most of these patterns were discovered on island populations.…”

“…Among those individuals, who have a higher body weight index, R-genotypes are more common. Other studies established that FTO rs9939609 and LEPR rs1137101 polymorphisms of parents affect the body weight and BMI of new born babies (Marginean et al, 2016). Thus, the Q223R can serve a molecular genetic marker of leptin resistance and can contribute to the development of obesity.…”

New Insights Regarding Genetic Aspects of Childhood Obesity: A Minireview

“…Therefore, a recent study emphasized that a lower PI [i.e., PI, an index computed as birth weight (kg) divided by birth length (m) cubed] suggests that an individual is more vulnerable to the negative effects of the A risk allele of FTO polymorphism on body fat mass ( 34 ). In contrast, it was also shown that mothers carrying the variant A allele of rs9939609 FTO polymorphism had newborns with a lower BMI ( 9 ). Further functional studies are needed to determine the precise role of the FTO gene in determining obesity and its complications.…”