Ghrelin receptor gene polymorphisms and body size in children and adults.

Abstract

The GH secretagogue receptor type 1a gene (GHSR) encodes the cognate receptor of ghrelin, a gut hormone that regulates food intake and pituitary GH secretion. Previous studies in U.S. families and a German population suggested GHSR to be a candidate quantitative locus for association with human obesity and growth. The aim of the study was to test common genetic variation in GHSR for association with body size in children and adults. Sequencing was performed to systematically identify novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GHSR. A set of three haplotype-tagging SNPs that captured all the genetic variation in GHSR was identified. These three haplotype-tagging SNPs were then genotyped in three large population-based U.K. cohort studies (two adult and one childhood cohort) comprising 5807 adults and 843 children. No significant genotype or haplotype associations were found with adult or childhood height, weight, or body mass index. Common variation in GHSR is not associated with body size in U.K. adults or children.