Polymorphisms of the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB2) in relation to cardiovascular risk factors in men

Objective. To investigate the effect of polymorphisms in codon 16 (Arg16Gly ) and codon 27 (Gln27Glu) of the beta(2)-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB2) o n anthropometric, endocrine, metabolic and haemodynamic variables. Design. A cross-sectional study. Subjects. A subgroup of 284 Swedish men from a population sample of 1040 at the age of 51 years. Main outcome measures. Genotype examination of ADRB2 polymorphisms in codon 16 and codon 27 with polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment le ngth polymorphism. Anthropometric measurements included body mass index, wa ist-to-hip ratio and abdominal sagittal diameter. Endocrine measurements in cluded blood levels of testosterone, insulin-like growth factor I, and lept in plus salivary cortisol. Overnight fasting values of serum insulin, blood glucose, triglycerides, total, low and high density lipoprotein cholestero l, as well as blood pressure and resting heart rate, were also determined. Results. Polymorphisms were frequent in both codon 16 and codon 27. The Arg 16Gly genotype showed significant relationships to elevated central distrib ution of body fat and to systolic blood pressure, whilst the Glu27Glu genot ype was associated with elevated leptin and triglyceride levels but not to other measurements, including obesity variables. Conclusions. We conclude that only a few cardiovascular risk factors are as sociated with DNA sequence variation in the ADRB2 in Swedish men.