PLoS ONE (Jan 2021)

Genetic markers of abdominal obesity and weight loss after gastric bypass surgery.

  • Martin Aasbrenn,
  • Mathilde Svendstrup,
  • Theresia M Schnurr,
  • Dorte Lindqvist Hansen,
  • Dorte Worm,
  • Marie Balslev-Harder,
  • Niels Grarup,
  • Kristoffer Sølvsten Burgdorf,
  • Henrik Vestergaard,
  • Oluf Pedersen,
  • Lars Ängquist,
  • Mogens Fenger,
  • Thorkild I A Sørensen,
  • Sten Madsbad,
  • Torben Hansen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252525
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 5
p. e0252525

Abstract

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BackgroundWeight loss after bariatric surgery varies widely between individuals, partly due to genetic differences. In addition, genetic determinants of abdominal obesity have been shown to attenuate weight loss after dietary intervention with special attention paid to the rs1358980-T risk allele in the VEGFA locus. Here we aimed to test if updated genetic risk scores (GRSs) for adiposity measures and the rs1358980-T risk allele are linked with weight loss following gastric bypass surgery.MethodsFive hundred seventy six patients with morbid obesity underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. A GRS for BMI and a GRS for waist-hip-ratio adjusted for BMI (proxy for abdominal obesity), respectively, were constructed. All patients were genotyped for the rs1358980-T risk allele. Associations between the genetic determinants and weight loss after bariatric surgery were evaluated.ResultsThe GRS for BMI was not associated with weight loss (β = -2.0 kg/100 risk alleles, 95% CI -7.5 to 3.3, p = 0.45). Even though the GRS for abdominal obesity was associated with an attenuated weight loss response adjusted for age, sex and center (β = -14.6 kg/100 risk alleles, 95% CI -25.4 to -3.8, p = 0.008), it was not significantly associated with weight loss after adjustment for baseline BMI (β = -7.9 kg/100 risk alleles, 95% CI -17.5 to 1.6, p = 0.11). Similarly, the rs1358980-T risk allele was not significantly associated with weight loss (β = -0.8 kg/risk allele, 95% CI -2.2 to 0.6, p = 0.25).DiscussionGRSs for adiposity derived from large meta-analyses and the rs1358980-T risk allele in the VEGFA locus did not predict weight loss after gastric bypass surgery. The association between a GRS for abdominal obesity and the response to bariatric surgery may be dependent on the association between the GRS and baseline BMI.