Fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) is associated to eating disorders susceptibility and moderates the expression of psychopathological traits

PLoS One. 2017 Mar 10;12(3):e0173560. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173560. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Eating Disorders (EDs) show a multifactorial etiopathogenesis including environmental, psychological and biological factors. In the present study, we propose a model of interactions between genetic vulnerability-represented by Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated (FTO) gene-and stable psychopathological traits, such as bodily disorders and emotion dysregulation for EDs patients. The distribution of a polymorphism of the FTO (rs9939609 T>A) was evaluated in a series of 250 EDs patients and in a group of 119 healthy control subjects. Clinical data were collected through a face-to-face interview and several self-reported questionnaires were applied, including the Emotional Eating Scale and the IDentity and EAting disorders (IDEA) questionnaire for bodily disorders and self-identity. The A-allele was associated with an increased vulnerability to EDs (AA+AT genotypes frequency 72.8% in EDs vs. 52.9% in controls). The presence of the A-allele was associated with binge eating behavior, higher emotional eating and higher IDEA scores. Finally, the FTO rs9939609 SNP was found to influence the relationship between these variables, as an association between disorder of corporeality and emotional eating was found only in A-allele carriers. A-allele seems to represent a potential additive risk factor for EDs persons, with bodily disorders to develop emotional eating and binge eating behaviors.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Alleles*
  • Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO / genetics*
  • Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO / metabolism
  • Binge-Eating Disorder / genetics*
  • Binge-Eating Disorder / metabolism
  • Binge-Eating Disorder / psychology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymorphism, Genetic*
  • Quantitative Trait, Heritable*
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO
  • FTO protein, human

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.