Association between the rs12255372 variant of the TCF7L2 gene and obesity in a Cameroonian population

Elvis Ndonwi Ngwa; Eugene Sobngwi; Barbara Atogho-Tiedeu; Jean Jacques N Noubiap; Olivier Sontsa Donfack; Magellan Guewo-Fokeng; Edith Pascale Mato Mofo; Priscille Pokam Fosso; Eric Djahmeni; Rosine Djokam-Dadjeu; Marie-Solange Evehe; Folefac Aminkeng; Wilfred F Mbacham; Jean Claude Mbanya

doi:10.1186/s13104-015-1661-3

Association between the rs12255372 variant of the TCF7L2 gene and obesity in a Cameroonian population

BMC Res Notes. 2015 Nov 25:8:717. doi: 10.1186/s13104-015-1661-3.

Authors

Elvis Ndonwi Ngwa^{1

2}, Eugene Sobngwi^{3

4

5}, Barbara Atogho-Tiedeu^{6

7}, Jean Jacques N Noubiap^{8

9}, Olivier Sontsa Donfack^{10

11}, Magellan Guewo-Fokeng^{12

13}, Edith Pascale Mato Mofo^{14

15}, Priscille Pokam Fosso^{16

17}, Eric Djahmeni¹⁸, Rosine Djokam-Dadjeu^{19

20}, Marie-Solange Evehe^{21

22}, Folefac Aminkeng²³, Wilfred F Mbacham^{24

25}, Jean Claude Mbanya^{26

27

28}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
² Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
³ Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
⁴ Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
⁵ National Obesity Center, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
⁶ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
⁷ Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
⁸ Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. [email protected].
⁹ Medical Diagnostic Center, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
¹⁰ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
¹¹ Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
¹² Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
¹³ Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
¹⁴ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
¹⁵ Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
¹⁶ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
¹⁷ Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
¹⁸ National Obesity Center, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
¹⁹ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
²⁰ Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
²¹ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
²² Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
²³ The Canadian Pharmacogenomics Network for Drug Safety (CPNDS), Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. [email protected].
²⁴ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
²⁵ Laboratory for Public Health Research Biotechnologies, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
²⁶ Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
²⁷ Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].
²⁸ National Obesity Center, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon. [email protected].

Abstract

Background: The transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) is one of the genes that have been identified as possible determinants of diabetes which is associated with obesity. Data on the genetic causes of obesity in sub-Saharan African populations are very scares. The aim of this study was to assess the association between the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene polymorphism (rs12255372 G/T) and obesity and weight-related traits in a Cameroonian population.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 35 obese and 30 non-obese Cameroonian adults. TCF7L2 rs12255372 genotypes were determined using PCR-RFLP and correlated with BMI and weight-related traits.

Results: No significant association was observed between the rs12255372 T allele (χ(2) = 0.0684, p = 0.79) or the TT genotype (χ(2) = 0.372, p = 0.54) of the TCF7L2 gene and obesity in the Cameroonian population. However, amongst the weight-related traits, triglycerides were significantly associated with the T risk allele of the TCF7L2 gene (p = 0.012).

Conclusion: This study on Cameroonian subjects replicates the absence of association between the TCF7L2 rs12255372 variant and obesity as observed in European and American populations.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Alleles
Body Mass Index
Body Weight
Cameroon
Case-Control Studies
Female
Gene Frequency
Genetic Predisposition to Disease / genetics*
Genotype
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Obesity / genetics*
Odds Ratio
Phenotype
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
Risk Factors
Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein / genetics*
Triglycerides / blood
Young Adult

Substances

TCF7L2 protein, human
Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein
Triglycerides