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The GC2 haplotype of the vitamin D binding protein is a risk factor for a low plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D
Ji-Chang Zhou1,2, Yumei Zhu1, Chunmei Gong1
1Shenzhen Centre for Chronic Disease Control, 2021 Buxin Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen, 518020 Guangdong China.
Background:
The GC haplotype of the vitamin D binding protein (encoded by the GC gene) might be a risk factor to the vitamin D (VD) nutritional status for many populations, while evidences from the Chinese Han population are sparse. We test the association between vitamin D binding protein genotypes and VD status as well as the metabolic parameters of glucose and lipids in a Han Chinese population.
Methods:
In a cross-sectional study conducted at a health examination centre (registered in ClinicalTrials.gov as QLS2013), 2641 adults were included and grouped according to their plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations as VD deficient (VDD), insufficient (VDI), or sufficient (VDS). The rs7041 and rs4588 genotypes were analysed with a molecular beacon-based qPCR method using blood samples.
Results:
Plasma 25OHD concentrations were lower in the GC2/2, rs7041T/T, and rs4588A/A genotypes than the GC1f/1s, rs7041G/T, and rs4588C/C genotypes (P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounders, the GC2 haplotype increased the risk of low VD status (P < 0.05) in both genders. More genotypic models revealed the negative contributions of rs4588A than rs7041T to low VD status (P < 0.05). The combined rates of VDD and VDI were 80.2% in males and 86.1% in females. Compared with VDI, VDS, or both, VDD showed higher plasma concentrations of fasting blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides in males (P < 0.05); however, no significant differences were found with regard to these parameters between the subgroups defined by the GC genotypes (P > 0.05).
Conclusions:
In a Han Chinese population, the GC2 haplotype or more exactly rs4588A is a risk factor for low VD status but is not associated with glucose and lipid metabolic disorders, which are inversely correlated with the circulating 25OHD concentration in males.
Trial Registration:
The study was retrospectively registered in January 2018 as NCT03406234 in the ClinicalTrials.gov online system.
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