Associations between the GNB3 C825T polymorphism and obesity-related metabolic risk factors in Korean obese women

Purpose It is important to identify a 'metabolically unhealthy obese' subset with higher cardiovascular risk among obese individuals. We investigated the associations between the GNB3 C825T polymorphism and obesity-related metabolic risk factors among Korean obese women. Methods This study was a sub-investigation of a double-blind randomized controlled trial that examined the additive effect of or list at on weight loss with sibutramine. A sample of 111 obese women were divided into T-carriers (CT/TT) or a homozygous CC group, according to the presence of the 825T allele at GNB3. These groups were compared to determine their associations with obesity-related metabolic risk factors, i.e., fasting plasma glucose, serum lipids, serum insulin/insulin resistance, and abdominal fat amounts. Results The allele frequencies of the GNB3 polymorphism were C allele = 59.5 % and T allele = 40.5 %. The T allele was found to be significantly associated with greater visceral fat and higher serum lipids, and these significances remained robust after adjusting for potential covariates. Conclusions The GNB3 825T polymorphism is significantly associated with greater visceral fat and higher serum lipids in Korean obese women and it suggests that the GNB3 C825T is a determinant of obesity-related metabolic traits in this population.