Anthropometry, Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey: Linkage of Candidate Genes Using Two Sib-Pair Based Variance Components Analyses

• Published in: Twin research and human genetics Vol. 11; no. 5; pp. 505 - 516
• Main Authors: Souren, Nicole Y., Zeegers, Maurice P., Janssen, Rob G. J. H., Steyls, Anja, Gielen, Marij, Loos, Ruth J. F., Beunen, Gaston, Fagard, Robert, Stassen, Alphons P. M., Aerssens, Jeroen, Derom, Catherine, Vlietinck, Robert, Paulussen, Aimee D. C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.10.2008
• Subjects: Adult; Anthropometry; Belgium; Birth weight; Body fat; Body mass; Candidate Genes; Carbohydrate metabolism; Carbohydrate Metabolism - genetics; Carbohydrates; Cholesterol; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - genetics; Dyslipidaemia; East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey; Female; Genes; Genetic Linkage; Genetic markers; Genotype; High density lipoprotein; Humans; Insulin; Insulin resistance; Insulin-like growth factor I; Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1; LEP gene; Leptin; Linkage; Lipid metabolism; Lipid Metabolism - genetics; Lipids; Male; Metabolism; Microsatellite Repeats - genetics; Microsatellites; Obesity; Prospective Studies; Surveys; Triglycerides; Twins; Twins, Dizygotic - genetics; Twins, Monozygotic - genetics; Type 2 diabetes; Belgium; Flanders; Type 2 diabetes; Obesity; Dyslipidaemia; East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey; Linkage; Candidate Genes
• ISSN: 1832-4274; 1839-2628
• DOI: 10.1375/twin.11.5.505

Insulin resistance and obesity are underlying causes of type 2 diabetes and therefore much interest is focused on the potential genes involved. A series of anthropometric and metabolic characteristic were measured in 240 MZ and 112 DZ twin pairs recruited from the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey. Microsatellite markers located close to ABCC8, ADIPOQ, GCK, IGF1, IGFBP1, INSR, LEP, LEPR, PPARγ and the RETN gene were genotyped. Univariate single point variance components linkage analyses were performed using two methods: (1) the standard method, only comprising the phenotypic and genotypic data of the DZ twin pairs and (2) the extended method, also incorporating the phenotypic data of the MZ twin pairs. Suggestive linkages (LOD > 1) were observed between the ABCC8 marker and waist-to-hip ratio and HDL-cholesterol levels. Both markers flanking ADIPOQ showed suggestive linkage with triglycerides levels, the upstream marker also with body mass and HDL-cholesterol levels. The IGFBP1 marker showed suggestive linkage with fat mass, fasting insulin and leptin levels and the LEP marker showed suggestive linkage with birth weight. This study suggests that DNA variants in ABCC8, ADIPOQ, IGFBP1 and LEP gene region may predispose to type 2 diabetes. In addition, the two methods used to perform linkage analyses yielded similar results. This was however not the case for birth weight where chorionicity seems to be an important confounder.