Association of RBP4 gene variants with adverse lipid profile and obesity

• All the features between obese and non-obese subjects were significantly different.
• In rs3758539, minor allele carriers in cases were significantly higher than in controls.
• In cases, weight, waist.c, HDL, LDL, and rs10882280 were risk factors of obesity.
• In controls, sex, age, weight, FBS, and rs3758539 were risk factors of obesity.

Obesity is currently a worldwide public health problem. Retinol-binding protein4 (RBP4) is a recently discovered adipokine, which is potentially associated with insulin resistance and obesity. We aimed to investigate whether genetic variation within the RBP4 gene is correlated with the obesity and lipid profile in Iranian population. 321 samples were randomly selected from participants of Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP). Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood cells (PBCs) and HRM-PCR was performed in order to investigate the presence of SNPs, and further sequencing analysis was done from selected subjects according to the differences of HRM curve pattern. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v16.00. The difference of the presence of rs3758539 polymorphism between controls and obese patients was significant, but not about rs10882280. We found noticeable association among genetic polymorphisms and biomedical and physical characteristics within investigated population. Our findings suggested that variations in the RBP4 gene were correlated with BMI and polymorphisms more likely could contribute to the development of obesity in our population. Also appraisal of obesity risk factors within each group might be helpful for preventing obesity initiation and could have a possible role in a predisposition to obesity in the Iranians.