Effect of the melanocortin-3 receptor C17A and G241A variants on weight loss in childhood obesity

BACKGROUND:The central melanocortin system is critical for the long-term regulation of energy homeostasis. Melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3R) knock-out mice, despite being hypophagic, have increased fat mass and higher feed efficiency than do their wild-type littermates. OBJECTIVE:The aim was to evaluate whether, in childhood obesity, MC3R variants are associated with changes in fatness reduction as a consequence of a weight-reduction program. DESIGN:Molecular screening of the MC3R coding region in 184 obese children, 77 girls and 107 boys [x (±SEM) body mass index (BMI; in kg/m²) z score: 3.3 ± 2.3; age 9.2 ± 2 y], was performed. BMI was evaluated at baseline and after 6 and 12 mo of the weight loss program. RESULTS:No new mutations were found. Two previously described polymorphisms, C17A (Thr6Lys) and G241A (Val81Ile), were observed in 20 patients in almost complete linkage disequilibrium. No significant differences in BMI z scores were observed at baseline of the weight-loss program between the genotypes; however, at follow-up, heterozygotes showed a significantly higher BMI z score (P = 0.03). When the patients were divided according to the amount of weight lost, a higher prevalence of heterozygotes was observed among subjects who lowered their BMI z score