Genetic Polymorphisms in the Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Gene Confers Risk of Obesity in Iraqi Population

Problem statement: Obesity is strongly influenced by genetic factors, with an estimated heritability of 60% BMI. Genetic susceptibility to the common form of obesity appears to be polygenic. Although theoretical analyses emphasized the power of genetic association study in common polygenic diseases, the search for genes conferring the risk of obesity has thus far not been very successful. Approach: In this research, DNA was extracted from 100 individuals who diagnosed as diabetes mellitus and have obesity referred to Al-Kindy research and therapeutic unit and in Baghdad 40 subject used as control. Thirty cycles of PCR were performed on exons 2 and 3 of the FSHß gene, which encode for the translated FSH ß protein. Results: For each exon, 30 cycles of PCR were performed at 95°C for 1 min, 55°C for 30sec and 72°C for 30 sec. Samples were subjected to sequencing and the results showed that the signals were poor and there is no capability to analyze so, we were recommended to do cloning the fragment of DNA to gain good signals. We did not observe significant association between rs9939609 and type 2 diabetes. Conclusion: Two SNPs (rs16952777 and rs1107355) in LD block 1 were nominally associated with type 2 diabetes. SNPs in the same block were also nominally associated with fasting glucose concentrations in no diabetic subjects (control subject). However, none of these associations remained significant after adjustment for multiple testing.