A QTL for genotype by sex interaction for anthropometric measurements in Alaskan Eskimos (GOCADAN study) on chromosome 19q12-13

• Published in: Obesity
• Main Authors: Voruganti, V. Saroja, Diego, Vincent P., Haack, Karin, Cole, Shelley A., Blangero, John, Göring, Harald HH, Laston, Sandra, Wenger, Charlotte R, Ebbesson, Sven OE, Fabsitz, Richard R., Devereux, Richard B., Howard, Barbara V., Umans, Jason G., MacCluer, Jean W., Comuzzie, Anthony G.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Article; eskimo*; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3525327; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21527897; https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2011.78

Variation in anthropometric measurements due to sexual dimorphism can be the result of genotype by sex interactions (G×S). The purpose of this study was to examine the sex-specific genetic architecture in anthropometric measurements in Alaskan Eskimos from the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) study. Maximum likelihood based variance components decomposition methods, implemented in SOLAR, were used for GxS analyses. Anthropometric measurements included BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist/height ratio, percent body fat () and subscapular and triceps skinfolds. Except for WC, mean values of all phenotypes were significantly different in men and women (p < 0.05). All anthropometric measures were significantly heritable (p< 0.001). In a preliminary analysis not allowing for G×S interaction, evidence of linkage was detected between markers D19S414 and D19S220 on chromosome 19 for WC (LOD = 3.5), (LOD = 1.7), BMI (LOD = 2.4), WHtR (LOD = 2.5), subscapular (LOD = 2.1) and triceps skinfolds (LOD = 1.9). In subsequent analyses which allowed for G×S interaction, linkage was again found between these traits and the same two markers on chromosome 19 with significantly improved LOD scores for: WC (LOD = 4.5), (LOD = 3.8), BMI (LOD = 3.5), waist/height ratio (LOD = 3.2), subscapular (LOD = 3.0) and triceps skinfolds (LOD = 2.9). These results support evidence of a G×S interaction in the expression of genetic effects resulting in sexual dimorphism in anthropometric phenotypes and identify the chromosome 19q12-13 region as important for adiposity-related traits in Alaskan Eskimos.