Haplotype analysis of leptin gene polymorphisms in obesity among Malays in Terengganu, Malaysia population

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of overweight and obesity has developed the critical global threat which leads to metabolic risks and mortality. A Leptin hormone that regulates the food intake as well as food expenditure is encoded by Leptin gene. The gene has shown a pivotal role in obesity pathogenesis. This study was sought to determine the SNPs and haplotype association of the Leptin gene that were assigned as G2548A, H1328080, and A19G with obesity among Malays in Terengganu, Malaysia.

METHODOLOGY: This study comprised of 249 participants (148 overweight/ obese as a case group and 101 lean participants as controls). The PCR-RFLP technique was performed to distinguish the genotype distribution of Leptin gene polymorphisms. The allele and genotype frequencies were assessed for single and haplotype analyses.

RESULT: Single association analysis of G2548A (P=0.74), A19G (P=0.38), and H1328080 (P=0.56) polymorphisms yielded no statistically significant association. However, haplotype association analysis showed a suggestive indication of AAG haplotype (G2548A, H1328080, and A19G sequence) with susceptibility effect towards obesity predisposition [P=0.002, OR=8.897 (1.59-9.78)].

CONCLUSION: This data on single and haplotype might disclose the preliminary exposure and pave the way for the obesity development with an evidence of revealed susceptibility to obesity.