Polymorphisms in the gene encoding adiponectin receptor 1 are associated with insulin resistance and high liver fat

The adipokine adiponectin has insulin-sensitising, anti-atherogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, the genes for mouse and human adiponectin receptor-1 (ADIPOR1) and -2 (ADIPOR2) have been cloned. The aim of this study was to investigate whether genetic variants of the genes encoding ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 play a role in human metabolism.

We screened ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 for polymorphisms and determined their association with glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, an atherogenic lipid profile and inflammatory markers in 502 non-diabetic subjects. A subgroup participated in a longitudinal study; these subjects received diet counselling and increased their physical activity.

We identified six variants of ADIPOR1 and seven variants of ADIPOR2. A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the putative promoter region 8503 bp upstream of the translational start codon (−8503 G/A) of ADIPOR1 (frequency of allele A=0.31) was in almost complete linkage disequilibrium with another SNP (−1927 T/C) in intron 1. Subjects carrying the −8503 A and −1927 C alleles had lower insulin sensitivity, as estimated from a 75 g OGTT (p=0.04) and determined during a euglycaemic clamp (n=295, p=0.04); they also had higher HbA₁c levels (p=0.02) and, although the difference was not statistically significant, higher liver fat (n=85, determined by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, p=0.056) (all p values are adjusted for age, sex and percentage of body fat). In the longitudinal study (n=45), the −8503 A and −1927 C alleles were associated with lower insulin sensitivity (p=0.03) and higher liver fat (p=0.02) at follow-up compared with the −8503 G and −1927 T alleles, independently of basal measurements, sex and baseline and follow-up percentage of body fat.