Early Detrimental Metabolic Outcomes of rs17300539‐A Allele of ADIPOQ Gene Despite Higher Adiponectinemia

Minor allele A of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) 11391 G/A of ADIPOQ gene (rs17300539) has been consistently associated with higher adiponectin levels in adults and children. The aim of this study was to investigate the metabolic role of this variant in a large cohort of children of European origin. A total of 1,852 children from two general populations in Verona and in Fleurbaix-Laventie and from the Lille childhood obesity cohort, were genotyped and pooled together after checking for the absence of genetic heterogeneity for rs17300539 between Italian and French children. The genotype of rs17300539 was studied in relation to circulating adiponectin levels, BMI, fasting plasma glucose, fasting serum insulin (FSI), insulin resistance index (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA(IR))), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides. After adjustment for known confounders, rs17300539 GA+AA carriers had 1.6 microg/ml higher adiponectin levels (P = 6 x 10(-8)) than GG carriers. They also showed higher BMI (B = 0.97, P = 0.015) and higher prevalence of obesity (OR = 1.35 (1.06-1.85), P = 0.015) than GG carriers. Before adjusting for obesity status, GA+AA carriers had higher FSI (B = 1.10, P = 0.040) and higher HOMA(IR) (B = 0.31, P = 0.020) than GG carriers. After adjustment for obesity status, they did not differ from GG carriers for any metabolic parameter, either among obese or nonobese children. The rs17300539-A variant, though consistently associated with higher adiponectin levels, does not exert any appreciable protective metabolic effect in children, either in the presence or absence of obesity. In contrast, this SNP may increase the risk for childhood obesity and related insulin resistance.