Investigation of genetic variation and lifestyle determinants in vitamin D levels in Arab individuals

Abstract Background Differences in the concentrations of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] are associated with a wide range of health outcomes; however, most studies on genetic variants that impact 25(OH)D levels have been conducted in European populations. Here we aimed to identify common g...

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Main Authors: Massimo Mezzavilla, Sara Tomei, Fadi Alkayal, Motasem Melhem, Maisa M. Ali, Monira Al-Arouj, Abdullah Bennakhi, Osama Alsmadi, Naser Elkum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2018-01-01
Series:Journal of Translational Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12967-018-1396-8
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author Massimo Mezzavilla
Sara Tomei
Fadi Alkayal
Motasem Melhem
Maisa M. Ali
Monira Al-Arouj
Abdullah Bennakhi
Osama Alsmadi
Naser Elkum
author_facet Massimo Mezzavilla
Sara Tomei
Fadi Alkayal
Motasem Melhem
Maisa M. Ali
Monira Al-Arouj
Abdullah Bennakhi
Osama Alsmadi
Naser Elkum
author_sort Massimo Mezzavilla
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Differences in the concentrations of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] are associated with a wide range of health outcomes; however, most studies on genetic variants that impact 25(OH)D levels have been conducted in European populations. Here we aimed to identify common genetic variants that affect vitamin D concentrations in individuals of self-reported Arab ethnicity. Methods The study included 1151 Arab subjects living in Kuwait. Common variants of single-nucleotide polymorphisms and genes previously associated with vitamin D levels, such as GC, PDE3B, CYP2R1, and NADSYN1, were genotyped. Raw vitamin D level data were corrected for age, body mass index, and sex and then normalized. Regression tree analyses were performed to identify the impact of genetic variants on vitamin D levels. Results Compared with other gene variants, the GC gene variants exhibited the greatest impact on vitamin D levels in our study population, of which rs2298850 had the lowest p value (0.003). Individuals homozygous for the derived allele C had lower vitamin D levels. Analyses of the interaction between the number of years for which the subjects had lived in Kuwait and genetic variation in the GC gene showed that those with the CC genotype of rs2298850 who had lived in Kuwait for < 51 years had a mean 25(OH)D level of 10 ng/ml, whereas those who were homozygous for the ancestral allele had a mean 25(OH)D level of 17 ng/ml. Furthermore, subjects who had lived in Kuwait for > 51 years had higher vitamin D levels (mean 28 ng/ml) regardless of the genotype of their GC gene. Conclusions The GC gene may play a major role in determining vitamin D levels in Arab populations.
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spelling doaj.art-e0a684089e84442cb7ba77e2aa9125992022-12-21T23:20:07ZengBMCJournal of Translational Medicine1479-58762018-01-011611610.1186/s12967-018-1396-8Investigation of genetic variation and lifestyle determinants in vitamin D levels in Arab individualsMassimo Mezzavilla0Sara Tomei1Fadi Alkayal2Motasem Melhem3Maisa M. Ali4Monira Al-Arouj5Abdullah Bennakhi6Osama Alsmadi7Naser Elkum8Out-Patient Clinic, 5th Floor, Sidra Medicine, Qatar FoundationOut-Patient Clinic, 5th Floor, Sidra Medicine, Qatar FoundationDasman Diabetes InstituteDasman Diabetes InstituteDasman Diabetes InstituteDasman Diabetes InstituteDasman Diabetes InstituteDasman Diabetes InstituteOut-Patient Clinic, 5th Floor, Sidra Medicine, Qatar FoundationAbstract Background Differences in the concentrations of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] are associated with a wide range of health outcomes; however, most studies on genetic variants that impact 25(OH)D levels have been conducted in European populations. Here we aimed to identify common genetic variants that affect vitamin D concentrations in individuals of self-reported Arab ethnicity. Methods The study included 1151 Arab subjects living in Kuwait. Common variants of single-nucleotide polymorphisms and genes previously associated with vitamin D levels, such as GC, PDE3B, CYP2R1, and NADSYN1, were genotyped. Raw vitamin D level data were corrected for age, body mass index, and sex and then normalized. Regression tree analyses were performed to identify the impact of genetic variants on vitamin D levels. Results Compared with other gene variants, the GC gene variants exhibited the greatest impact on vitamin D levels in our study population, of which rs2298850 had the lowest p value (0.003). Individuals homozygous for the derived allele C had lower vitamin D levels. Analyses of the interaction between the number of years for which the subjects had lived in Kuwait and genetic variation in the GC gene showed that those with the CC genotype of rs2298850 who had lived in Kuwait for < 51 years had a mean 25(OH)D level of 10 ng/ml, whereas those who were homozygous for the ancestral allele had a mean 25(OH)D level of 17 ng/ml. Furthermore, subjects who had lived in Kuwait for > 51 years had higher vitamin D levels (mean 28 ng/ml) regardless of the genotype of their GC gene. Conclusions The GC gene may play a major role in determining vitamin D levels in Arab populations.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12967-018-1396-8Vitamin DArab populationGC geneRecursive partitioning analysis
spellingShingle Massimo Mezzavilla
Sara Tomei
Fadi Alkayal
Motasem Melhem
Maisa M. Ali
Monira Al-Arouj
Abdullah Bennakhi
Osama Alsmadi
Naser Elkum
Investigation of genetic variation and lifestyle determinants in vitamin D levels in Arab individuals
Journal of Translational Medicine
Vitamin D
Arab population
GC gene
Recursive partitioning analysis
title Investigation of genetic variation and lifestyle determinants in vitamin D levels in Arab individuals
title_full Investigation of genetic variation and lifestyle determinants in vitamin D levels in Arab individuals
title_fullStr Investigation of genetic variation and lifestyle determinants in vitamin D levels in Arab individuals
title_full_unstemmed Investigation of genetic variation and lifestyle determinants in vitamin D levels in Arab individuals
title_short Investigation of genetic variation and lifestyle determinants in vitamin D levels in Arab individuals
title_sort investigation of genetic variation and lifestyle determinants in vitamin d levels in arab individuals
topic Vitamin D
Arab population
GC gene
Recursive partitioning analysis
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12967-018-1396-8
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