Plasma RBP4 Level in Association with Body Composition, Metabolic Profile, STRA6 and RBP4 Gene Polymorphisms in Obese Romanian Children

Abstract

Anastasia Boaghi,1 Raluca-Monica Pop,1,2 Simona Loredana Vasilache,3 Claudia Banescu,4 Adina Hutanu,5 Oana Cristina Marginean,6 Ionela Maria Pascanu1,7 1Department of Endocrinology, Mures County Hospital, Tȃrgu Mureș 540139, Romȃnia; 2Research Methodology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Tȃrgu Mureș, Tȃrgu Mureș 540139, Romȃnia; 3Doctoral School, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Tȃrgu Mureș, Tȃrgu Mureș 540139, Romȃnia; 4Genetics Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Tȃrgu Mureș, Tȃrgu Mureș 540139, Romȃnia; 5Center for Advanced Medical and Pharmaceutical Research, LC/MC Laboratory, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Tȃrgu Mureș, Tȃrgu Mureș, 540139, Romȃnia; 6Pediatrics Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Tȃrgu Mureș, Tȃrgu Mureș 540139, Romȃnia; 7Endocrinology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Tȃrgu Mureș, Tȃrgu Mureș 540139, RomȃniaCorrespondence: Raluca-Monica PopResearch Methodology Department, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Tȃrgu Mureș, 38 Gheorghe Marinescu Street, Tȃrgu Mureș 540139, RomȃniaTel [phone]Fax [phone]Email [email protected]: Pediatric obesity continues to remain a serious health concern which has significantly increased the morbidity risk in adulthood. Recent studies have analyzed the impact of the two adipokines, RBP4 (retinol binding protein 4) and STRA6 (stimulated by retinoic acid 6) in pediatric obese subjects with contradictory results.Methods: An observational study was conducted in the Pediatric and Endocrinology Departments, Targu-Mures, Romania, including 213 children between 5– 17 years of age, divided into two groups according to body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS): case (overweight or obese) and control (normal SDS). Age, sex, basic anthropometric and biochemical measurements and genotype of rs3758539, and rs10882280 for RBP4 gene and rs974456 and rs351224 of STRA6 gene were analyzed. Statistical analysis used SPSS v. 25.0, with a level of significance α = 0.05.Results: There is no association between the two gene’s polymorphisms and obesity in our pediatric population. In regression analysis, with HOMA IR (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance) as the outcome, the plasmatic level of RBP4 and fat mass percentage are significant predictors, with the model explaining 42% of the HOMA variability. Hypercholesterolemia was significantly associated with male sex, carrying variant allele and heterozygote status of rs10882280 RBP4 gene and wild-type allele rs351224 of STRA6 gene.Conclusion: There is no significant association between obesity and SNPs of the RBP4 and STRA6 in our population, but they seem to play a role in insulin resistance and hypercholesterolemia.Keywords: pediatric obesity, RBP4, STRA6, polymorphisms

Keywords

• pediatric obesity
• rbp 4
• stra 6
• polymorphisms.