Chipping away the 'missing heritability': GIANT steps forward in the molecular elucidation of obesity - but still lots to go.

ABSTRACT: Although heritability of human body weight is assumed to be high, only a small fraction of the variance can as yet be attributed to molecular genetic factors. Single monogenic forms of obesity have been identified. Functionally relevant coding mutations in the melanocortin-4 receptor gene occur in 1-6% of extremely obese children and adolescents and thus represent the most common major gene effect. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) had previously identified 14 obesity loci with genome-wide significant (p < 5 x 10-8) associations. Many of the respective genes are expressed in the central nervous system. The GIANT (Genetic Investigation of ANtropometric Traits) Consortium has now performed a meta-analysis of GWAS data based on 123,865 individuals of European ancestry followed by confirm

SUBMITTER: Hebebrand J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6452141 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature