J Obes Metab Syndr.  2021 Mar;30(1):63-71. 10.7570/jomes20086.

Screening of Obese Offspring of First-Cousin Consanguineous Subjects for the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Gene with a 287-bp Alu Sequence

• Alshammary AF
• Khan IA

• KMID: 2514143
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7570/jomes20086

Abstract

Background
Consanguinity, defined as a blood relation between couples, is associated with genetic diseases in their offspring. In Saudi Arabia, obesity is considered a major health problem associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE with insertion (I) and deletion (D) polymorphisms of an Alu-287 bp sequence has been implicated in multiple metabolic disorders, including obesity. To date, no studies have been conducted in the Saudi population regarding the ACE gene in consanguineous offspring with obesity. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate genetic associations in offspring of first cousins, and specifically the relationship between obesity and ACE (Alu-287 bp) was evaluated in the Saudi population.
Methods
In total, 91 cases of obesity in the offspring of first-cousin couples and 100 control subjects without obesity but with a family history of consanguinity were included. Using genomic DNA, ACE ID polymorphisms between the cases and controls were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction.
Results
There were strong differences in the height, weight, and body mass index between the cases and controls (P<0.001). A genotype analysis confirmed the strong association with allele frequencies (P<0.001; odds ratio, 4.902; 95% confidence interval, 2.867–8.379) when compared between the cases and controls. One-way analysis of variance showed a positive correlation with height and logistic regression (covariance) that could not be strongly correlated (P>0.05).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ACE gene polymorphism was found, through allele frequencies, to be associated with obesity in the offspring of consanguineous first cousins in the Saudi population.

Keyword

Consanguinity; Obesity; Offspring; First cousin; Consanguineous couples; Angiotensin-converting enzyme-insertion/deletion; Alu-287 bp