Genetic variation within a metabolic motif in the chromogranin a promoter: pleiotropic influence on cardiometabolic risk traits in twins.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The cardiometabolic syndrome comprised of multiple correlated traits, but its origin is incompletely understood. Chromogranin A (CHGA) is required for formation of the catecholamine secretory pathway in sympathochromaffin cells. In twin pair studies, we found that CHGA traits aggregated with body mass index (BMI), as well as its biochemical determinant leptin. METHODS Here we used the twin method to probe the role of heredity in generating such risk traits, and then investigated the role of risk-trait-associated CHGA promoter genetic variation in transfected chromaffin cells. Trait heritability (h(2)) and shared genetic determination among traits (pleiotropy, genetic covariance, ρ(G)) were estimated by variance components in twin pairs.

Results

CHGA, BMI, and lept

SUBMITTER: Rao F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3664223 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature