Maternal leptin receptor gene variant Gln223Arg is not associated with variation in birth weight or maternal body mass index in UK and South Asian populations

BACKGROUND: Leptin is an adipocyte secreted hormone involved in regulation of body weight and metabolism in man. Placenta leptin levels correlate posi tively with birth weight. It is therefore possible that variation in the le ptin receptor gene (LEPR) may contribute to obesity and influence birth wei ght. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the influence of the leptin receptor gen e variant Gln223Arg (A -->G, 668), on maternal body mass index (BMI), foeta l gestational length and birth weight in a cohort of 455 healthy pregnant w omen of Asian indian (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan) and UK/lrish origin. RESULTS: Maternal genotype distributions did not differ from those expected under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium conditions in either population of origin . Maternal genotype for the Gln223Arg leptin receptor gene polymorphism sho wed no significant association with foetal birth weight (adjusted for gesta tional length) or with maternal BMI during first trimester (adjusted for ag e) in either population group. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the Gln223Arg variant in the materna l leptin receptor gene does not explain the association between placental l eptin levels and birth weight, and is not associated with variation in mate rnal BMI in early pregnancy in our sample.