Assessment of Methylene Tetrahydrofolate Reductase and ATP binding Cassette Transporter A1 Gene Polymorphism in Obese Egyptian Children

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obesity, a worldwide public health problem, is associated with a number of polymorphisms of genes involved in its pathogenesis. Thus, this case-control study aimed to clarify the association between genetic variations within methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) genes and obesity in an Egyptian population of children and adolescents. METHODS: Anthropometric parameters along with lipid profile were measured, in addition to genotyping of MTHFR C677T and ABCA1 G656A polymorphisms using allelic discrimination assay in 51 obese and 30 normal weight age and sex matched child and adolescent. RESULTS: Compared to control, obese subjects showed a significant difference in the presence of C677T polymorphism, but not G656A. C677T polymorphism increased susceptibility to obesity under all genetic models while G656A polymorphism failed to show any association with the predisposition of developing obesity. SNP-SNP interaction