The New England Journal of Medicine
e-mail icon  FREE NEJM E-TOC    HOME   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   CURRENT ISSUE   |   PAST ISSUES   |   COLLECTIONS   |    Advanced Search
Sign in | Get NEJM's E-Mail Table of Contents — Free | Subscribe
 
Original Article
PreviousPrevious
Volume 348:1085-1095 March 20, 2003 Number 12
NextNext

Clinical Spectrum of Obesity and Mutations in the Melanocortin 4 Receptor Gene
I. Sadaf Farooqi, M.D., Ph.D., Julia M. Keogh, B.Sc., Giles S.H. Yeo, Ph.D., Emma J. Lank, B.Sc., Tim Cheetham, M.D., and Stephen O'Rahilly, M.D.

 Sign up for free e-toc
 

This Article
-Full Text
- PDF
-PDA Full Text
-PowerPoint Slide Set
-Supplementary Material

Commentary
-Editorial
 by List, J. F.

Tools and Services
-Add to Personal Archive
-Add to Citation Manager
-Notify a Friend
-E-mail When Cited
-E-mail When Letters Appear

More Information
-PubMed Citation
ABSTRACT

Background Melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) deficiency is the commonest monogenic form of obesity. However, the clinical spectrum and mode of inheritance have not been defined, pathophysiological mechanisms leading to obesity are poorly understood, and there is little information regarding genotype–phenotype correlations.

Methods We determined the nucleotide sequence of the MC4R gene in 500 probands with severe childhood obesity. Family studies were undertaken to examine cosegregation of identified mutations with obesity. Subjects with MC4R deficiency underwent metabolic and endocrine evaluation; the results were correlated with the signaling properties of mutant receptors.

Results Twenty-nine probands (5.8 percent) had mutations in MC4R; 23 were heterozygous, and 6 were homozygous. Mutation carriers had severe obesity, increased lean mass, increased linear growth, hyperphagia, and severe hyperinsulinemia; homozygotes were more severely affected than heterozygotes. Subjects with mutations retaining residual signaling capacity had a less severe phenotype.

Conclusions Mutations in MC4R result in a distinct obesity syndrome that is inherited in a codominant manner. Mutations leading to complete loss of function are associated with a more severe phenotype. The correlation between the signaling properties of these mutant receptors and energy intake emphasizes the key role of this receptor in the control of eating behavior in humans.


Source Information

From the Genetics of Obesity Collaborative Group (T.C.) and the University Departments of Medicine and Clinical Biochemistry (I.S.F., J.M.K., G.H.S.Y., E.J.L., S.O.'R.), Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Address reprint requests to Dr. O'Rahilly at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, United Kingdom, or at sorahill{at}hgmp.mrc.ac.uk.

Full Text of this Article


This article has been cited by other articles:



HOME  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  SEARCH  |  CURRENT ISSUE  |  PAST ISSUES  |  COLLECTIONS  |  PRIVACY  |  TERMS OF USE  |  HELP  |  beta.nejm.org

Comments and questions? Please contact us.

The New England Journal of Medicine is owned, published, and copyrighted © 2009 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.