Associations of glucocorticoid receptor and corticosteroid-binding globulin gene polymorphisms on fat mass and fat mass distribution in prepubertal obese children

J Physiol Biochem. 2012 Dec;68(4):645-50. doi: 10.1007/s13105-012-0176-9. Epub 2012 May 12.

Abstract

Previous studies conducted in adult obese patients have shown that glucocorticoid receptor and corticosteroid-binding globulin gene polymorphisms influence cortisol-driven obesity and metabolic parameters. We investigated the impact of these polymorphisms in prepubertal obese children that were thoroughly examined for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and for metabolic and obesity parameters. Obese children carrier of the allele G of the BclI polymorphism within glucocorticoid receptor gene tend to present a higher percentage of fat mass as well as a decreased cortisol suppression after low-dose dexamethasone as found in adult studies. Additionally, these allele G carriers show a strong correlation between truncal fat mass distribution and cortisol response to a standardized lunch, whereas this correlation is weak in allele C carriers. No differences were found for obesity or metabolic parameters between genotypes at the corticosteroid-binding globulin locus. However, allele 90 carriers present increased 24-h free urinary cortisol. Overall, this study provides new data showing the influence of glucocorticoid receptor and corticosteroid-binding globulin genes in obesity and/or cortisol action in prepubertal obese children.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adiposity / genetics*
  • Body Fat Distribution
  • Child
  • Female
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Hydrocortisone / urine
  • Male
  • Obesity / genetics*
  • Obesity / urine
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length*
  • Puberty
  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid / genetics*
  • Transcortin / genetics*

Substances

  • Receptors, Glucocorticoid
  • SERPINA6 protein, human
  • Transcortin
  • Hydrocortisone