Gene-Stress Interaction of FTO and VEGFR-2 Gene Polymorphisms With Mental Health Influences Blood Lipids in Chinese Malaysian Female Adults

• Published in: Annals of nutrition and metabolism 2019-01, Vol.75, p.264
• Main Authors: Yap, Roseline Wai Kuan, Lin, Mei-Hua, Shidoji, Yoshihiro, Yap, Wai Sum
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Alleles; Anxiety; Biomarkers; Blood; Body fat; Body mass index; Body size; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Cholesterol; Density; Gene expression; Gene frequency; Gene polymorphism; Genes; Genotyping; Growth factors; Health problems; Health risks; Heart diseases; Hemoglobin; High density lipoprotein; Lipids; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Nutrition; Obesity; Polymorphism; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Triglycerides; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular endothelial growth factor receptors
• ISSN: 0250-6807; 1421-9697
• DOI: 10.1159/000501751

Background/Aims: Female adults in Malaysia have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mental health problems. Fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) genes were found to be associated with CVD and depression. Hence, this study examined the interaction influences of FTO (rs1477196) and VEGFR2 (rs2071559) gene polymorphisms with mental health on metabolic CVD risk factors in Chinese Malaysian female adults. Methods: Physical measurements: body mass index and blood pressures; and biomarkers: glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and TC/ HDL-C ratio were determined. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) questionnaire was used to measure mental health (stress, anxiety and depression). Genotyping of rs1477196 and rs2071559 was performed by real-time PCR using Taqman probes. A total of 81 Chinese Malaysian females aged 30–65 years old were included. Results: The allele frequencies for rs1477196 (A; G allele) and rs2071559 (C; T allele) were 0.29; 0.71 and 0.41; 0.59 respectively. The mean scores for DASS21 (stress, anxiety and depression) showed normal levels. The rs2071559 was significantly associated with HbA1c levels (p = 0.034) after adjusting for potential confounders but there were insignificant associations of rs1477196 with metabolic CVD risk factors (p = 0.080–0.886). Significant interactions were obtained for rs1477196 with both stress (p = 0.048) and depression (p = 0.041) on TC/HDL-C ratio levels including rs2071559 with both stress (p = 0.015) and depression (p = 0.038) on HDL-C levels. Conclusions: The significant interactions of FTO and VEGFR2 genes with mental health had influences on blood lipids, which are major risk factors of CVD.