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Do Genetic Factors Modify the Relationship Between Obesity and Hypertriglyceridemia? : Findings From the GLACIER and the MDC Studies

Ali, Ashfaq LU orcid ; V Varga, Tibor LU ; Stojkovic, Ivana LU ; Schulz, Christina-Alexandra LU ; Hallmans, Göran ; Barroso, Inês ; Poveda, Alaitz LU orcid ; Renström, Frida LU ; Orho-Melander, Marju LU and Franks, Paul LU (2016) In Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics 9(2). p.162-171
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a major risk factor for dyslipidemia, but this relationship is highly variable. Recently published data from 2 Danish cohorts suggest that genetic factors may underlie some of this variability.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We tested whether established triglyceride-associated loci modify the relationship of body mass index (BMI) and triglyceride concentrations in 2 Swedish cohorts (the Gene-Lifestyle Interactions and Complex Traits Involved in Elevated Disease Risk [GLACIER Study; N=4312] and the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study [N=5352]). The genetic loci were amalgamated into a weighted genetic risk score (WGRSTG) by summing the triglyceride-elevating alleles (weighted by their established marginal effects) for all... (More)

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a major risk factor for dyslipidemia, but this relationship is highly variable. Recently published data from 2 Danish cohorts suggest that genetic factors may underlie some of this variability.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We tested whether established triglyceride-associated loci modify the relationship of body mass index (BMI) and triglyceride concentrations in 2 Swedish cohorts (the Gene-Lifestyle Interactions and Complex Traits Involved in Elevated Disease Risk [GLACIER Study; N=4312] and the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study [N=5352]). The genetic loci were amalgamated into a weighted genetic risk score (WGRSTG) by summing the triglyceride-elevating alleles (weighted by their established marginal effects) for all loci. Both BMI and the WGRSTG were strongly associated with triglyceride concentrations in GLACIER, with each additional BMI unit (kg/m(2)) associated with 2.8% (P=8.4×10(-84)) higher triglyceride concentration and each additional WGRSTG unit with 2% (P=7.6×10(-48)) higher triglyceride concentration. Each unit of the WGRSTG was associated with 1.5% higher triglyceride concentrations in normal weight and 2.4% higher concentrations in overweight/obese participants (Pinteraction=0.056). Meta-analyses of results from the Swedish cohorts yielded a statistically significant WGRSTG×BMI interaction effect (Pinteraction=6.0×10(-4)), which was strengthened by including data from the Danish cohorts (Pinteraction=6.5×10(-7)). In the meta-analysis of the Swedish cohorts, nominal evidence of a 3-way interaction (WGRSTG×BMI×sex) was observed (Pinteraction=0.03), where the WGRSTG×BMI interaction was only statistically significant in females. Using protein-protein interaction network analyses, we identified molecular interactions and pathways elucidating the metabolic relationships between BMI and triglyceride-associated loci.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence that body fatness accentuates the effects of genetic susceptibility variants in hypertriglyceridemia, effects that are most evident in females.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bioinformatics, genetic epidemiology, genetics, obesity, triglycerides
in
Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics
volume
9
issue
2
pages
10 pages
publisher
American Heart Association
external identifiers
  • pmid:26865658
  • scopus:84966318831
  • pmid:26865658
  • wos:000374795800010
ISSN
1942-325X
DOI
10.1161/CIRCGENETICS.115.001218
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
733994f1-1a03-4edc-8e8b-71d029a7cb29 (old id 8825779)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26865658?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 07:06:08
date last changed
2022-04-07 22:08:52
@article{733994f1-1a03-4edc-8e8b-71d029a7cb29,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Obesity is a major risk factor for dyslipidemia, but this relationship is highly variable. Recently published data from 2 Danish cohorts suggest that genetic factors may underlie some of this variability.</p><p>METHODS AND RESULTS: We tested whether established triglyceride-associated loci modify the relationship of body mass index (BMI) and triglyceride concentrations in 2 Swedish cohorts (the Gene-Lifestyle Interactions and Complex Traits Involved in Elevated Disease Risk [GLACIER Study; N=4312] and the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study [N=5352]). The genetic loci were amalgamated into a weighted genetic risk score (WGRSTG) by summing the triglyceride-elevating alleles (weighted by their established marginal effects) for all loci. Both BMI and the WGRSTG were strongly associated with triglyceride concentrations in GLACIER, with each additional BMI unit (kg/m(2)) associated with 2.8% (P=8.4×10(-84)) higher triglyceride concentration and each additional WGRSTG unit with 2% (P=7.6×10(-48)) higher triglyceride concentration. Each unit of the WGRSTG was associated with 1.5% higher triglyceride concentrations in normal weight and 2.4% higher concentrations in overweight/obese participants (Pinteraction=0.056). Meta-analyses of results from the Swedish cohorts yielded a statistically significant WGRSTG×BMI interaction effect (Pinteraction=6.0×10(-4)), which was strengthened by including data from the Danish cohorts (Pinteraction=6.5×10(-7)). In the meta-analysis of the Swedish cohorts, nominal evidence of a 3-way interaction (WGRSTG×BMI×sex) was observed (Pinteraction=0.03), where the WGRSTG×BMI interaction was only statistically significant in females. Using protein-protein interaction network analyses, we identified molecular interactions and pathways elucidating the metabolic relationships between BMI and triglyceride-associated loci.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence that body fatness accentuates the effects of genetic susceptibility variants in hypertriglyceridemia, effects that are most evident in females.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ali, Ashfaq and V Varga, Tibor and Stojkovic, Ivana and Schulz, Christina-Alexandra and Hallmans, Göran and Barroso, Inês and Poveda, Alaitz and Renström, Frida and Orho-Melander, Marju and Franks, Paul}},
  issn         = {{1942-325X}},
  keywords     = {{bioinformatics; genetic epidemiology; genetics; obesity; triglycerides}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{162--171}},
  publisher    = {{American Heart Association}},
  series       = {{Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics}},
  title        = {{Do Genetic Factors Modify the Relationship Between Obesity and Hypertriglyceridemia? : Findings From the GLACIER and the MDC Studies}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIRCGENETICS.115.001218}},
  doi          = {{10.1161/CIRCGENETICS.115.001218}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}