Leptin Levels and Receptor Polymorphism in Healthy Populations
Author Information
Author(s): Ragin Camille C, Dallal Cher, Okobia Michael, Modugno Francesmary, Chen Jiangying, Garte Seymour, Taioli Emanuela
Primary Institution: University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health
Hypothesis
Is there an association between leptin receptor polymorphism and circulating leptin levels in healthy populations?
Conclusion
The study suggests an association between mean circulating leptin levels and the LEPR Q223R genotype among post-menopausal Caucasian women.
Supporting Evidence
- The LEPR Q223R homozygous variant was observed in 19% of subjects.
- Caucasian women had lower frequencies of the homozygous variant compared to African-Caribbean and African-American women.
- Mean circulating leptin levels were higher in African-Caribbean women compared to Caucasian women.
Takeaway
This study looked at how a specific gene variant affects leptin levels, a hormone related to fat, in women from different backgrounds.
Methodology
The study analyzed the frequency of the LEPR Q223R polymorphism and compared plasma leptin levels across different ethnic groups.
Potential Biases
Ethnicity was self-reported, making it difficult to evaluate the degree and type of admixture present in the populations.
Limitations
The study had a modest number of African-American and Asian subjects and lacked pre-menopausal women for some ethnic groups.
Participant Demographics
The study included 1,418 healthy subjects from various ethnic groups: 883 Caucasians, 279 Africans, 36 African-Americans, 194 African-Caribbean, and 26 Asian/other.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.098
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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