Study of obesity associated proopiomelanocortin gene polymorphism : relation to metabolic profile and eating habits in a sample of obese Egyptian children and adolescents

Abstract EN

Background : Melanocortinergic system represents a known system involved in the central regulation of body weight with the central proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons forming a potent anorexigenic network.

Polymorphisms in the POMC gene locus are associated with obesity phenotypes.

Aim : To assess the contribution of the POMC gene 9-bp insertional polymorphism in the susceptibility to obesity and its relation to body mass index (BMI) and adiposity-related co-morbidities in obese children and adolescents; as well as binge eating behavior.

Patients and methods: Fifty obese children and adolescents with simple obesity were screened for Binge Eating Disorder (BED) by The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), they were compared to 50 age, sex and pubertal stage-matched non obese controls.

Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, abdominal ultrasound for fatty liver, measurement of fasting lipid profile, fasting insulin, fasting blood glucose and assessment of POMC gene 9-bp insertional polymorphism were done.

Results : Obese patients had significantly higher anthropometric measurements, blood pressure percentiles, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and fasting lipid profiles, and higher frequency of occurrence of non alcoholic fatty liver disease and BED.

Allelic frequencies of POMC gene 9 bp insertional polymorphism were comparable in patients and controls (p= 0.956).

Fasting insulin levels were significantly higher in the heterozygous cases having the polymorphism than in wild homozygous cases; whereas no difference was observed among the controls