Lifestyle Modifies the Relationship Between Body Composition and Adrenergic Receptor Genetic Polymorphisms, ADRB2, ADRB3 and ADRA2B: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Physical Activity Among Postmenopausal Women

Genetic variations in the adrenergic receptor (ADR) have been associated with body composition in cross-sectional studies. Recent findings suggest that ADR variants may also modify body composition response to lifestyle. We assessed the role of ADR variants in body composition response to 12 months of resistance training versus control in previously sedentary postmenopausal women. Randomized trial completers were genotyped for A2B Glu9/12 by fragment length analysis, and B2 Gln27Glu and B3 Trp64Arg by TaqMan ( n = 148, 54% hormone therapy users). Associations between genotypes and body composition, by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, were analyzed using univariate models. There was no main effect of individual genes on change in body composition, however, gene × exercise interactions were observed for A2B Glu9/12 and B2 Gln27Glu on change in lean soft tissue (LST, p = 0.02); exercisers on the A2B Glu9− background gained LST compared to a loss among controls over 12 months ( p