HGM2003 Poster Abstracts
2. Medical Genomics I

Poster 24

Positive family-based association between MAO-A gene and obesity

¹Beatriz Camarena, ¹Haydee Santiago, ¹Alejandro Aguilar, ²Elsa Ruvinskis, ³Jorge González-Barranco, ¹Humberto Nicolini
¹Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente, Calz. México Xochimilco 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco, México, DF., ²Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, UNAM., Ciudad Universitaria, UNAM. México, DF, ³Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas de la Nutrición Salvador Zubirán., Vasco de Quiroga 15, Col. Tlalpan, México, DF

Obesity is a multifactorial condition. It is defined by the body mass index (BMI). Obese individuals are classified as a BMI of more than 30 Kg/m2. Family studies have reported a strong heritable component in the BMI. Epidemiological studies showed that obesity can be 2 to 5 times more prevalent in pharmacologically treated psychiatric patients than in the general population. It has been suggested that a neurotransmitter dysfunction could be involved in mental disorders and obesity, therefore candidate genes in psychiatric disorders could be a risk factor for obesity. Recently was showed suggestive evidence of linkage with DXS1226 on Xp region. On this region is located the MAO-A gene, therefore, this is an interesting candidate gene to be examined in obesity. We analysed two polymorphisms designed EcoRV and uVNTR of MAO-A gene. For analysis of the families, the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) was applied. Fifty obese subjects (33 females and 17 males) and their parents were recruited from The Weight Control Clinic at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Mexico City. TDT analysis of EcoRV polymorphism showed in obese subject with a BMI of more than 35kg/m2, a preferential transmission of the low activity-related allele (Chi squared of TDT=8.0, p=0.005). Also, TDT analysis in obese subjects with a BMI of more than 35kg/m2 showed a preferential transmission of allele 3 of the uVNTR polymorphism (Chi squared of TDT=4.54, p=0.033). Our findings may provide evidence of a candidate gene involved in obese subjects with BMI of more than 35kg/m2.

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