The Association Between FokI Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms With Metabolic Syndrome Among Pregnant Arab Women.

Maysa Alzaim,Mona A Fouda,Sara Al-Musharaf,Abdul Khader Mohammed,Malak N K Khattak,Richard Wood,Abdulrahman Al-Ajlan,Dalal N Binjawhar,Shaun Sabico,Nasser M Al-Daghri

doi:10.3389/fendo.2022.844472

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a serious health condition that is becoming extremely threatening in Saudi Arabia. The link between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and maternal MetS has been observed in several ethnic groups, but is yet to be clarified in the Arabian population. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the FokI VDR genotype and the risk of MetS and its components in pregnant Saudi women. A cross-sectional study was conducted using 368 pregnant Saudi women on first trimester screened for MetS (44 with MetS and 324 without MetS). Measurements included anthropometrics, glycemic and lipid profile and 25(OH)D. TaqMan genotyping assay was used to determine Fokl VDR genotype of participants. Vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D <50nmol/l) was seen in 85% of the participants. An estimated 12% of participants had MetS. In the MetS group, the FokI VDR genotyping frequencies for FF, Ff, and ff genotypes were 50%, 36.4% and 13.6%, respectively. In controls, the frequencies were 62.7%, 31.4% and 5.9%, respectively. No significant association between the individual MetS components and FokI VDR genotypes were observed. Nevertheless, carriers of the ff allele had a significant risk for full maternal MetS [Odds Ratio 4.2 (95% Confidence Interval 1.4-12.2; adjusted p=0.009). The study suggests that the ff FokI VDR genotype is a genetic marker of maternal MetS in pregnant Arabian women. Prospective studies that include neonatal outcomes may confirm present findings.

Highlights

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of conditions that is present when three or more of the following five characteristics are met: central obesity, high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and elevated fasting blood glucose [1]
TG, insulin, HbA1C, fasting serum glucose, HOMA-IR, and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher in the MetS group (p < 0.01 for all variables), while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was found to be significantly lower (1.6 ± 0.4 vs. 1.3 ± 0.5 mg/dl, p < 0.01)
The accuracy of the vitamin D measurements can be assured, given that we explored the role of vitamin D status and correlated it with different variables related to the components of MetS in all FokI genotypes

Summary

Introduction

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of conditions that is present when three or more of the following five characteristics are met: central obesity, high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and elevated fasting blood glucose [1]. Women with MetS are at a higher risk of developing maternal complications like preeclampsia and coma, in addition to experiencing adverse perinatal effects like preterm birth, jaundice, neonatal macrosomia, and malformations [1, 4]. The presence of MetS during pregnancy alone increases maternal CVD by as much as seven-fold [6], with offspring of high-risk pregnancies having a higher risk of developing CVD, MetS, and T2DM [1, 7]. The Riyadh Mother and Baby Study (RAHMA), a large cohort study in Saudi Arabia, revealed that more than 68% of the 14,568 pregnant women studied were either overweight or obese, while 24% had developed gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), considered among the highest in the world [8]. Aside from MetS and its components as GDM risk factors [9], an emerging GDM risk factor considered unique in the Arabian population is vitamin D deficiency [10]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion