Polymorphisms associated with obesity/lipid metabolism/carbohydrate metabolism in Oceanic populations

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25291103
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Physical anthropology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo (2014-2015); University of Tsukuba (2013)
• Principal Investigator: Ohashi Jun 東京大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (80301141)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Furusawa Takuro 京都大学, アジア・アフリカ地域研究研究科, 准教授 (50422457) ; Nishida Nao 国立研究開発法人国立国際医療研究センター, 肝炎免疫研究センター, 上級研究員 (50456109) ; Nakayama Kazuhiro 自治医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (90433581)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: オセアニア / 肥満 / 脂質代謝 / 多様性 / 進化 / 自然選択 / 多型

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Analysis of the genome-wide SNP data suggested that the Polynesian ancestor came from Southeast Asia to Melanesia and mixed with indigenous Melanesian. The present-day Polynesian may have had obesity-risk alleles both from Southeast Asians and indigenous Melanesian.
Oleoylethanolamide (OEA), an appetite-suppressing mediator, is degraded by an integral membrane enzyme encoded by the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) gene. A previous study demonstrated that the activity of FAAH enzyme was influenced by a non-synonymous SNP (rs324420; Pro129Thr) in the FAAH gene. The FAAH activity was higher in peripheral blood T-lymphocytes obtained from subjects homozygous for rs324420-C (129Pro) than in those for rs324420-A (129Thr). In the present study, the rs324420-C allele was significantly associated with increase in BMI. Our results suggest that the efficient degradation of OEA caused by FAAH rs324420-C may lead to excessive food intake and significant weight gain in Oceanic populations.

Free Research Field

人類学