Novel association between a nonsynonymous variant (R270H) of the G-protein-coupled receptor 120 and liver injury in children and adolescents with obesity

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2014 Oct;59(4):472-5. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000000463.

Abstract

The G-protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120) is a receptor for polyunsaturated fatty acids with anti-inflammatory activity. The R270H variant of GPR120 enhances inflammation in adipose and hepatic tissues. We investigated whether the R270H variant could play a role in determining liver injury in children and adolescents with obesity. Five hundred eighty-one children with obesity were studied. No homozygotes and 20 heterozygotes for the 270H allele were found. Heterozygotes showed higher alanine transaminase (ALT) levels (P = 0.01) than wild-type subjects, and also showed an odds ratio to have pathologic ALT of 3.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-8.0, P < 0.05). Moreover, we genotyped the same patients for the patatin-like phospholipase-containing domain 3 (PNPLA3) I148M polymorphism, which is implicated in the development of liver steatosis. Stratifying the patients with the GPR120 270H variant on the basis of their PNPLA3 polymorphism, we demonstrated a significant interaction effect on ALT levels (P = 0.00001), suggesting a driving effect of the PNPLA3 148M allele on liver injury in children with obesity carrying this variant.

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / pathology
  • Adolescent
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Alleles
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / genetics
  • Fatty Liver / etiology
  • Fatty Liver / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genotype*
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / etiology
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • Lipase / genetics*
  • Liver / enzymology
  • Liver / pathology*
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Odds Ratio
  • Pediatric Obesity / complications
  • Pediatric Obesity / genetics*
  • Polymorphism, Genetic*
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics*

Substances

  • FFAR4 protein, human
  • Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Alanine Transaminase
  • Lipase
  • adiponutrin, human