engleski

Strong influence of leptin genes on cholesterol ratio in women of Roma origin living in Croatia

BACKGROUND: Roma (Gypsy) are transnational European disempowered minority population, and the increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes suggests that they are undergoing the epidemiological and nutritional transition. The genetic architecture of this population is also specific, characterized by their remote origin (India) and substantial endogamy. Concluding, they are socioeconomically and genetically very different from the surrounding majority European populations. AIM: To explore the association of serum leptin and leptin (LEP) and leptin receptor (LEPR) genes with anthropometric and biochemical nutritional status biomarkers in Croatian Roma population. METHODS: The associations of leptin and 12 polymorphic sites in LEP (9) and LEPR (3) genes with anthropometric and biochemical indicators of nutritional status have been analyzed in 206 men and 208 women of Roma origin. The associations have been tested using ANOVA and chi2 test (for categorical variables constructed using standard cut-offs). RESULTS: The results showed that leptin concentrations as well as leptin system genes are associated with investigated indicators of nutritional status in Roma. The consistent impact of leptin genes on total cholesterol/HDL and LDL/HDL ratios in women is a prominent finding of this study. This relation (quantitative and qualitative variables) was significant in 6 out of 12 SNPs in women, while none of 12 SNPs showed significance in men. Several anthropometric indicators of obesity also showed significant association with LEP and LEPR loci (upper arm circumference, waist-hip ratio, triceps-subscapular skinfold ratios). Interestingly, serum leptin showed no relation to investigated LEP and LEPR loci. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the important role of leptin, which showed significant association with almost all anthropometric indicators of obesity as well as the relation with several indicators of lipid and glycemic status. The consistently strong association of cholesterol ratio with LEP and LEPR polymorphisms in Roma women is an unexpected and outstanding finding of this study.

leptin; lipids; cholesterol ratio; association; Roma; population genetics; minority health; anthropology; Croatia

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