Abstract
Asthmatics have an increased risk of being overweight/obese. Although the underlying mechanisms of this are unclear, genetic factors are believed to play an essential role. To identify common genetic variants that are associated with asthma-related BMI increase, we performed a genome-wide gene by environment (asthma) interaction analysis for the outcome of BMI in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study (N = 2474 Caucasians, 257 asthmatics), and replicated findings in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) offspring cohort (N = 1408 Caucasians, 382 asthmatics). The replicable tagging SNP, rs2107212, was further examined in stratified analyses. Seven SNPs clustered in 17q21.2 were identified to be associated with higher BMI among asthmatics (interaction p < 5×10−7 in MESA and p < 0.05 in FHS). In both MESA and FHS asthmatics, subjects carrying the A allele on rs2107212 had significantly higher odds of obesity than non-carriers, which was not the case for non-asthmatics. We further examined BMI change subsequent to asthma diagnosis over a period of 26 years in FHS and demonstrated greater BMI increase among asthmatics compared to non-asthmatics. Asthmatics carrying the A allele at rs2107212 had significantly greater net BMI increase over the 26-year period compared to non-asthmatics. In this study, we found that common genetic variants on 17q21.2 are associated with post-asthma BMI increase among Caucasians. This finding will help elucidate pathways involved in the comorbidity of asthma and obesity.
Highlights
Asthma and obesity are two rapidly growing public health issues, and the comorbidity of these conditions poses an enormous burden on asthma control as well as quality of life [1]
This manuscript was not prepared in collaboration with investigators of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), MESA Air or Framingham Heart Study and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of those studies and funding agencies and no official endorsement should be inferred
To further explore the genetic influences of asthma-related obesity, we aimed to identify genetic factors that lead to elevated BMI in an asthma-dependent manner
Summary
Asthma and obesity are two rapidly growing public health issues, and the comorbidity of these conditions poses an enormous burden on asthma control as well as quality of life [1]. MESA and the MESA SHARe project are conducted and supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in collaboration with MESA investigators. The Framingham Heart Study is conducted and supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in collaboration with Boston University (Contract No N01-HC-25195). Funding for SHARe genotyping was provided by NHLBI Contract N02-HL64278. SHARe Illumina genotyping was provided under an agreement between Illumina and Boston University. This manuscript was not prepared in collaboration with investigators of the MESA, MESA Air or Framingham Heart Study and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of those studies and funding agencies and no official endorsement should be inferred
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