Low AMY1 Gene Copy Number Is Associated with Increased Body Mass Index in Prepubertal Boys.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Genome-wide association studies have identified more than 60 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with Body Mass Index (BMI). Additional genetic variants, such as copy number variations (CNV), have also been investigated in relation to BMI. Recently, the highly polymorphic CNV in the salivary amylase (AMY1) gene, encoding an enzyme implicated in the first step of starch digestion, has been associated with obesity in adults and children. We assessed the potential association between AMY1 copy number and a wide range of BMI in a population of Italian school-children.

Methods

744 children (354 boys, 390 girls, mean age (±SD): 8.4±1.4years) underwent anthropometric assessments (height, weight) and collection of saliva samples for DNA extraction. AMY1 copies were

SUBMITTER: Marcovecchio ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4858278 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature