Variants in the human β1-, β2- and β3-adrenergic receptor genes are not associated with morbid obesity in children and adolescents

Aim: beta-adrenergic receptors (beta-ARs) are of key importance for the regulation of lipolysis and thermogenesis by catecholamines. Genetic defects in expression or function of beta(1)- beta(2)- and/or beta(3)-AR could affect energy homeostasis and predispose an individual towards the development of obesity. We therefore investigated the possible association of polymorphisms in the beta-adrenergic receptor genes with early onset obesity. Methods: Frequencies of the following variants were assessed in extremely obese children and healthy underweight controls: Gly/Ser in codon 49 and Arg/Gly in codon 389 of the beta(1)-AR, Arg/Gly in codon 16 and Gln/Glu in codon 27 of the beta(2)-AR, Trp/Arg in codon 64 of the beta(3)-AR. Results: The Ser49 allele in the beta(1)-AR gene was found at a frequency of 0.131 in obese and 0.136 in lean subjects (p = 0.835), while the Gly389 allele in the beta(1)-AR had a frequency of 0.319 in obese and 0.328 in lean subjects (p = 0.802). Gly16 in the beta(2)-AR was found with a frequency of 0.590 in obese and 0.611 in lean subjects (p = 0.591) and the Glu27 allele in the beta(2)-AR had a frequency of 0.380 in obese and 0.420 in lean subjects (p = 0.298). Conclusion: We did not detect significant differences for allele and carrier frequencies of individual polymorphisms. Together with previously obtained data on genotype distribution of a beta(3)-AR variant in the same study group, no significant differences were found between obese and lean subjects for the distribution of individuals with variants in none, one, two or all three beta-ARs. Our data make it unlikely that polymorphisms in beta-ARs are involved in the pathogenesis of early onset obesity.