To identify genetic variants associated with head circumference in infancy, we performed a meta-analysis of seven genome-wide association (GWA) studies (N=10,768 from European ancestry enrolled in pregnancy/birth cohorts) and followed up three lead signals in six replication studies (combined N=19,089). Rs7980687 on chromosome 12q24 (P=8.1×10−9), and rs1042725 on chromosome 12q15 (P=2.8×10−10) were robustly associated with head circumference in infancy. Although these loci have previously been associated with adult height1, their effects on infant head circumference were largely independent of height (P=3.8×10−7 for rs7980687, P=1.3×10−7 for rs1042725 after adjustment for infant height). A third signal, rs11655470 on chromosome 17q21, showed suggestive evidence of association with head circumference (P=3.9×10−6). SNPs correlated to the 17q21 signal show genome-wide association with adult intra cranial volume2, Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases3-5, indicating that a common genetic variant in this region might link early brain growth with neurological disease in later life.

Objective: Lifestyle and genetic factors interact in the development of obesity and the metabolic syndrome. The molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial dietary modifications are, however, unclear. We aimed to examine the effect of the longterm moderate weight reduction on gene expression in adipose tissue (AT) and to identify genes and gene clusters responsive to treatment and thereby likely contributing to the development of the metabolic syndrome. Design: Randomized controlled and individualized weight reduction intervention. Subjects: Forty-six subjects with impaired fasting glycemia or impaired glucose tolerance and features of metabolic syndrome, aged 6077 years were randomized either to a weight reduction (WR) (n ¼ 28) or a control (n ¼ 18) group lasting for 33 weeks. Measurements: Oral and intravenous glucose tolerance tests and subcutaneous AT biopsies were performed before and after the intervention. Gene expression of AT was studied using microarray technology in subgroups of WR (with weight reduction X5%, n ¼ 9) and control group (n ¼ 10). The results were confirmed using quantitative PCR. Results: In the WR group, glucose metabolism improved. Moreover, an inverse correlation between the change in S I and the change in body weight was found (r ¼ À0.44, P ¼ 0.026). Downregulation of gene expression (Po0.01) involving gene ontology groups of extracellular matrix and cell death was seen. Such changes did not occur in the control group. The tenomodulin-gene was one of the most downregulated genes (À39716%, Po0.0001). Moreover, its expression correlated with insulin sensitivity (r ¼ À0.34, P ¼ 0.005) before the intervention and with body adiposity both before (r ¼ 0.42, P ¼ 0.007) and after (r ¼ 0.30, P ¼ 0.056) the intervention. Conclusion: Genes regulating the extracellular matrix and cell death showed a strong downregulation after long-term weight reduction. This likely reflects a new stable state at the molecular level in AT. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms of these genetic factors.

BackgroundAdiponectin, secreted mainly by mature adipocytes, is a protein with insulin-sensitising and anti-atherogenic effects. Human adiponectin is encoded by the ADIPOQ gene on the chromosomal locus 3q27. Variations in ADIPOQ are associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and related phenotypes in several populations. Our aim was to study the association of the ADIPOQ variations with body weight, serum adiponectin concentrations and conversion to T2DM in overweight subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. Moreover, we investigated whether ADIPOQ gene variants modify the effect of lifestyle changes on these traits.MethodsParticipants in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study were randomly assigned to a lifestyle intervention group or a control group. Those whose DNA was available (n = 507) were genotyped for ten ADIPOQ single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Associations between SNPs and baseline body weight and serum adiponectin concentrations were analysed using the univariate analysis of variance. The 4-year longitudinal weight data were analysed using linear mixed models analysis and the change in serum adiponectin from baseline to year four was analysed using Kruskal-Wallis test. In addition, the association of SNPs with the risk of developing T2DM during the follow-up of 0-11 (mean 6.34) years was analysed by Cox regression analysis.Resultsrs266729, rs16861205, rs1501299, rs3821799 and rs6773957 associated significantly (p < 0.05) with body weight at baseline and in the longitudinal analyses. The rs266729 C allele and the rare minor alleles of rs2241766 and rs2082940 were associated with an increased adjusted hazard ratio of developing T2DM. The differences in baseline serum adiponectin concentrations were seen according to rs16861210, rs17366568, rs2241766, rs6773957 and rs2082940 and differences in the change of serum adiponectin levels from baseline to the four year examination were seen according to rs16861205, especially in subjects who were able to lose weight during the first year of intervention.ConclusionsThese results from the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study support the concept that genetic variation in ADIPOQ locus contributes to variation in body size and serum adiponectin concentrations and may also modify the risk of developing T2DM.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov NCT00518167

Young adults born large for gestational age are more likely to be obese, yet have an otherwise healthy cardiovascular risk profile. Nonetheless, they have increased carotid intima-media thickness, a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, consistent with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.