Association of fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene rs9939609 with obesity-related traits and glucose intolerance in an indigenous population, the Xavante

• Published in: Diabetes & metabolic syndrome clinical research & reviews 2022-01, Vol.16 (1), p.102358-102358, Article 102358
• Main Authors: Leite, Lanna C.G., dos Santos, Marcia C., Duarte, Nubia E., Horimoto, Andrea R.V.R., Crispim, Felipe, Vieira Filho, João Paulo B., Dal Fabbro, Amaury L., Franco, Laércio J., Moises, Regina S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO - genetics; Body Mass Index; Brazil; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; FTO gene; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Glucose intolerance; Glucose Intolerance - complications; Glucose Intolerance - epidemiology; Glucose Intolerance - genetics; Humans; Indigenous Peoples; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1871-4021; 1878-0334
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2021.102358

Common variants in fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene have been implicated as a susceptibility locus for obesity and type 2 diabetes in different populations. Here, in an indigenous population-based study, we examined whether FTO rs9939609 has a role in susceptibility to glucose intolerance and obesity. The study population comprised 949 full Xavante indigenous people (465 men) aged 18–99 years. The participants were submitted to clinical examination, anthropometrical measures and basal and 2-h post 75g oral glucose load capillary glucose measurements. FTO rs9939609 was genotyped and logistic regression was carried out to test the additive effect of the risk allele. The frequency of the minor allele of the FTO rs9939609 (0.06) was lower in Xavante than observed in some populations. A significant association between the variant and overweight was observed (OR = 1.56 (95% CI:1.06–2.29, p = 0.02), using an additive model of inheritance, adjusted by age and gender and considering the family structure. We found no associations with obesity or glucose intolerance. The FTO rs9939609 is associated with overweight, but not with obesity or glucose intolerance. The low frequency of the A allele suggests that it is not an important risk determinant for these conditions in Xavante indigenous people. •In this indigenous-population based study, we found an association between FTO rs9939609 and overweight,•No associations with obesity or most of the obesity-related quantitative traits were observed•Also, the analysis did not show an association of FTO rs9939609 with diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance•Our data highlights the importance of replication of genetic association studies in ethnically diverse populations