The Gene Variants (rs1050450) in Obesity: Association with the Risk of Obesity and the GPx Activity in Females.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the GP gene polymorphism (rs1050450), the level of oxidative stress and antioxidant parameters, and the lipid profile in an obese Kurdish population in Sulaimani, Iraq.

Methods: In a case-control study,134 obese subjects and 131 normal BMI healthy individuals participated. The GP gene polymorphism was assessed by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The levels of biochemical and oxidative parameters were determined using photometric methods.

Results: The results showed that the fasting blood sugar (FBS), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were significantly higher in obese subjects compared to the control group. Obese individuals had significantly lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) than the controls. The GP activity and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels were significantly elevated in the obese group compared to the control group (P=0.006, and P<0.001, respectively). No significant difference was detected in genotype and allele frequencies of GPx-1 (rs1050450) between obese and normal BMI groups. However, the presence of the GP TT genotype enhanced the risk of obesity in females by 1.93-fold (95% CI 1.04-3.58, P=0.036). In the total population, the GPx activity increased in the presence of TT compared to CC+CT and CT genotypes.

Conclusion: The study indicated that obesity is linked to significantly higher levels of FBS, TG, LDL-C, TAC, and GPx activity and lower level of HDL-C. Also, we found the GP gene polymorphism was associated with the risk of obesity in females and increased the GPx activity.