Association of adiponectin polymorphism with cord blood adiponectin concentrations and intrauterine growth

To assess whether adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ) polymorphism is associated with intrauterine fetal growth and cord blood adiponectin, we investigated eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs182052, rs710445, rs16861205, rs12495941, rs1501299, rs3774261, rs2082940 and rs266729) in ADIPOQ and birth weight and cord blood adiponectin in 526 healthy neonates. We found that the neonates carrying the G allele of rs266729 had a significantly greater birth weight s.d. score than those homozygous for the C allele (CC: -0.06 +/- 0.75 versus CG: 0.20 +/- 0.64 versus GG: 0.07 +/- 0.78; P=1.65 +/- 10(-3), adjusted P=9.90 x 10(-3)). However, this difference was not significant after adjustment for cord blood adiponectin (P=0.04, adjusted P=0.26). The rs266729 SNP was strongly associated with cord blood adiponectin; neonates with rs266729 GG had the highest adiponectin (CC: 34.1 +/- 20.2 versus CG: 44.3 +/- 26.1 versus GG: 54.1 +/- 36.7 mu gml(-1), P=2.80x10(-9), adjusted P=1.68x10(-8)). This association remained after adjustment for birth weight s.d. score (P=6.63x10(-8), adjusted P=3.98x10(-7)). Our results suggest that the influence of the rs266729 SNP in ADIPOQ on birth weight may be dependent on circulating adiponectin. Journal of Human Genetics (2012) 57, 109-114; doi:10.1038/jhg.2011.134; published online 24 November 2011