EFFECT OF THE PRO12ALA VARIANT OF THE HUMAN PEROXISOME PROLIFERATOR-ACTIVATED RECEPTOR GAMMA(2) GENE ON ADIPOSITY, FAT DISTRIBUTION, AND INSULIN SENSITIVITY IN JAPANESE MEN

To examine the role of the Pro12Ala variant of the human PPAR gamma 2 gene on adiposity and insulin resistance, we studied the effect of the variant on fat distribution assessed by CT scan, plasma glucose, and insulin levels during a 75g oral glucose load in 215 non-diabetic Japa nese men. The allele frequency of the variant was 0.03 in this populat ion. There were no differences in body mass index (BMI), subcutaneous fat area (S), visceral fat area (V), V/S ratio, fasting plasma insulin levels, or insulin resistance index in homeostatic model assessment b etween 203 subjects who were homozygous for the wild-type Pro12 allele and 12 subjects with the variant Ala12 allele (11 heterozygotes and o ne homozygote). These data suggest that the Pro12Ala variant is not a major contributor to adiposity, fat distribution, or insulin resistanc e in Japanese men. (C) 1998 Academic Press.