Roscharin Siriwoen. Identification of melanocortin-4 receptor gene variants in school children with early onset obesity. Master's Degree(Nutrition). Mahidol University. Mahidol University Library and Knowledge Center. : Mahidol University, 2009.
Identification of melanocortin-4 receptor gene variants in school children with early onset obesity
Abstract:
Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is a G protein coupled receptor (GPCR),
involved in the control of appetite and energy balance. This study is aimed to identify
single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or mutations in the MC4R gene in children
with early onset obesity and optimize polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions for
amplification of the MC4R gene. Thirty obese children, aged 10 - 12 years old, from a
primary school in Bangkok that joined the Bright and Healthy Thai Kid Project,
voluntarily participated in this study were screened for the entire coding sequence of
MC4R by direct sequencing of the PCR products. The optimal PCR conditions were as
follows: annealing at 57 °C for 30 seconds, 1.5 mM of MgCl2, 200 μM of dNTPs, 1.5
μM of primers, and 2 U of Taq polymerase. Two polymorphisms in the MC4R gene
were identified as follows: the nucleotide change from A to C at position 178 within
the 5untranslated region (-178 A>C) was detected in an 11 year old girl (C allele
frequency = 1.67%); and G to A at position 307 (307 G>A) was detected in a 12 year
old girl (A allele frequency = 1.67%). Both were in the heterozygous state. This
finding indicates that variations in the MC4R gene might be found in obese children.
Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to evaluate the association
between these polymorphisms and obesity in Thai population