A resistin gene polymorphism is associated with body mass index in women

The potential association of resistin (RETN) gene variability with obesity-related phenotypes was investigated in 585 non-diabetic individuals of European descent. The polymorphism studied (-420 C>G) is located in the RETN gene 5'-flanking region. A significant association between the polymorphism and body mass index and waist circumference was observed in the women subsample (n = 356), where the G allele was somewhat less frequent in the overweight/obese group than in normal-weight individuals (0.25 vs. 0.32; p = 0.040; OR=0.70 [0.50-0.98]). Female carriers of the G-allele presented a lower mean BMI than C/C homozygotes (25.5 vs. 26.8 kg/m(2); p = 0.010). Furthermore, when women were stratified by menopausal status, the association was restricted to premenopausal women (C/C homozygotes, mean BMI = 26.3 kg/m2; G-carriers, 24.4 kg/m2; p = 0.014). Our findings suggest that RETN gene variation has gender-specific effects on BMI and warrants further investigation of its implications for the development of obesity.