FTO Gene Associates and Interacts with Obesity Risk, Physical Activity, Energy Intake, and Time Spent Sitting:Pilot Study in a Nigerian Population

Fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene influences obesity but studies have shown that environmental/lifestyle variables like physical activity (PA), time spent sitting (TSS), and energy intake might mediate the effect. However, this is poorly understood in Nigeria due to scarce studies. We demystified association and interaction between FTO rs9939609, obesity, PA, TSS, and energy intake in Nigeria. FTO gene variant was genotyped by restriction fragment length polymorphism and gene sequencing analysis in 103 people with obesity and 98 controls. Anthropometrics and environmental variables were measured using standard procedures. Significant associations were found between FTO rs9939609 with obesity and environmental/lifestyle variables before and after adjusting for age. Carriers of allele A have significantly higher odds of being overweight/obese using BMI [0.191 (0.102?0.361),?] but this was attenuated by PA (); odds of being overweight reduced from 0.625 (0.181?2.159) to 0.082 (0.009?0.736) for low and high PA, respectively. Mediation analysis of total indirect effect also confirmed this by showing a simultaneous mediating role of total PA, energy intake, and TSS in the relationship between FTO and BMI (unstandardized-coefficient = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.26?2.22). This study shows a relationship between FTO and obesity phenotype and environmental/lifestyle factors might be an important modulator/mediator in the association.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Gene frequencies of ABO and Rh blood groups in Nigeria: A review

Background : ABO and Rhesus factor (Rh) blood type are germane in human life in genetics and clinical studies. Aim of the study : The review was undertaken with the objective to provide data on the ABO and Rh(D) blood group distribution and gene frequency across Nigeria which is vital for blood transfusion and susceptibility to disease. Materials and methods: Literature search for ABO/Rh blood distribution in Nigeria was done and allele frequencies of A, B, O, D and d were calculated from the frequency recorded from six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. We reported frequency of ABO and Rhesus blood type from 318,940 and 280,514 individuals respectively. Prevalence were reported as percentage and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was tested using Chi square test and p was set at 0.05 unless otherwise stated. Results : We reported ABO blood group frequencies in the order O > A > B > AB (52.93%, 22.77%, 20.64% and 3.66%) while prevalence of Rh+ was 94.90% from total population studied. Our reported frequencies did not differ from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (goodness-of-fit X 2 for ABO = 1.74 df = 3, p < 0.05). Allelic frequencies for A(p), B(q) and O(r) are 0.143, 0.130 and 0.728 respectively. Conclusion : The study provides information on the distribution/frequency of ABO/Rh(D) blood group and their corresponding allelic proportion in a large Nigeria study. It also revealed how the Nigerian populations in the North, South, West and East vary with respect to genetic traits. This vital information will be important for population genetics and anthropology studies and may be helpful in planning for future health strategy and blueprint, particularly planning with regards to disease management and blood transfusion medicine

Relationship between Ratio of Second and Fourth Digit and Obesity Traits among Different Ethnic Groups in Ilorin, North Central Nigeria

Digit ratio (2D:4D) denotes the relative length of the second and fourth digits. There are contradicting reports on its relationship with ethnicity/race, whereas convincing studies show it is related to obesity. This cross-sectional study was undertaken to demystify ethnic difference in 2D:4D ratio and to analyze its relationship with obesity among adults in Ilorin Nigeria. The cross-sectional study included 701 individuals. Finger lengths were measured with electronic calipers and other anthropometric traits were measured with standard procedure. Student t test and one-way ANOVA were used to detect differences among groups and relationship was computed with Pearson correlation. The receiver operator characteristic curves were used to detect the diagnostic effect of 2D:4D for obesity. The obtained results showed sexual dimorphism in 2D:4D ratio and other anthropometrics at p 0.05); this result proved that there was no ethnic specificity in 2D:4D ratio among study' participants. Thus, it can be reported that the digit ratio was related to high 2D:4D, but this cannot be said for different ethnic groups. The results imply that 2D:4D might be a good surrogate indicator for obesity, but not ethnicity

Elevated blood mercury and haematological response in free ranging chicken (Gallus Gallus domesticus) from gold mining areas in Zamfara State Nigeria

Gold mining and other anthropometric activities in mining areas result in pollution. Mercury toxicosis is thus a common occurrence in chickens from gold mining areas (GMAs). The study was designed to evaluate and compare haematological response in chickens (Gallus Gallus domesticus) from Anka GMAs and Gusau Non‑gold mining areas (NGMAs) of Zamfara State, Nigeria. A total of sixty adult chickens were randomly selected in six locations (thirty each in GMAs and NGMAs). Blood mercury concentration was measured with atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) with thermal decomposition. Haematological parameters which include packed cell volume (PCV), Red blood cell count (RBC), haemoglobin, heterophils, lymphocytes, total white blood cell count (TWBC), monocytes and heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio were measured using standard procedure. Both multivariate and univariate analysis were used to measure differences while correlation and regression were also used to analyse relationship between mercury and haematological parameters. Mean PCV 23.26%, RBC 2.661 × 106/L, Haemoglobin 13.70 g/dL, TWBC 5.07 × 10 9/L, Heterophils 2.00 × 109/L and Lymphocytes 2.65 × 109/L were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in chickens from GMAs when compared with 33.39%, 3.77 × 10 6/L, 19.79 g/dL, 10.13 × 109/L, 2.82 × 109/L and 4.91 × 109/L respectively from NGMAs. However, monocytes 0.44 × 109/L and H/L Ratio 0.788 were significantly higher in chicken from GMAs when compared with 0.24 × 109/L and 0.54 from NMGAs. Hameatological parameters are direct correlates of mercury concentration. A unit increase in monocytes significantly (p < 0.05) correspond to an increase in blood Hg level by 0.262 μg/mL. In conclusion, this research suggested that mining activities in GMAs exerts deleterious impacts on chicken haematological parameters. Result of this study will be of diagnostic significance in local chicken mercury toxicosis

Plasma metabolomic study in perinatally HIV-infected children using 1H NMR spectroscopy reveals perturbed metabolites that sustain during therapy.

BackgroundPerinatally HIV-infected children on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) are reported to have metabolic abnormalities such as dyslipidemia, lipodystrophy, and insulin resistance which potentially increase the risk of diabetes, kidney, liver and cardiovascular disease.ObjectiveTo elucidate HIV-mediated metabolic complications that sustain even during ART in perinatally HIV-infected children.MethodWe have carried out metabolic profiling of the plasma of treatment-naïve and ART-suppressed perinatally HIV-infected children and uninfected controls using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy followed by statistical analysis and annotation.ResultValidated multivariate analysis showed clear distinction among our study groups. Our results showed elevated levels of lactate, glucose, phosphoenolpyruvic acid, propionic acid, 2-ketobutyric acid and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites in untreated HIV-infected children compared to uninfected controls. ART normalized the levels of several metabolites, however the level of lactate, phosphoenolpyruvic acid, oxoglutaric acid, oxaloacetic acid, myoinositol and glutamine remained upregulated despite ART in HIV-infected children. Pathway analysis revealed perturbed propanoate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, glycolysis and TCA cycle in untreated and ART-suppressed HIV-infected children.ConclusionDeveloping therapeutic strategies targeting metabolic abnormalities may be beneficial for preventing diabetes, cardiovascular disease or other associated complications in perinatally HIV-infected children