BACKGROUND: The distribution of fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) genes rs9939609 and rs1421085 in obese and normal ethnic Mongolians was analyzed to investigate the association of FTO gene polymorphisms with obesity and metabolic syndrome in ethnic Mongolians.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The genotypes of FTO genes rs9939609 and rs1421085 in 500 subjects were detected by allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR). General characteristics and clinical biochemical indicators were compared between the obesity group and the control group. The correlation between different genotypes and obesity metabolic index was also analyzed.

RESULTS: Body mass, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), SBP, DBP, FPG, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were higher, while HDL-C was lower in the obesity group compared with controls. The frequencies of TT genotype and T allele in the obesity group were higher than those in the control group. The frequencies of these 3 genotypes and allele frequencies of Rs1421085 were comparable between the 2 groups (P>0.05). The risk of obesity in Mongolian individuals carrying rs9939609 AT genotype was 1.312 times higher and the risk in those carrying AA genotype was 1.896 times higher than in individuals with TT genotype. The body weight, BMI, WC, HC, and WHR in individuals with rs9939609 AA and AT genotypes were significantly higher than in those with TT genotype.

CONCLUSIONS: The AT/AA genotype and allele A of rs9939609 are associated with an increased risk of obesity.

Keywords: Metabolic Syndrome X, Obesity, Polymorphism, Genetic