Association and Interaction Effect of AGTR1 and AGTR2 Gene Polymorphisms with Dietary Pattern on Metabolic Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease in Malaysian Adults.

Gene-diet interaction using a multifactorial approach is preferred to study the multiple risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study examined the association and gene-diet interaction effects of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AGTR1) gene (rs5186), and type 2 receptor (AGTR2) gene (rs1403543) polymorphisms on metabolic risk factors of CVD in Malaysian adults. CVD parameters (BMI, blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and TC/HDL-C ratio), and constructed dietary patterns "vegetables, fruits, and soy diet" (VFSD), and "rice, egg, and fish diet" (REFD) were obtained from previous studies. Genotyping analysis was performed by real-time PCR using Taqman probes. The subjects were 507 adults (151 Malays; 179 Chinese; and 177 Indians). Significant genetic associations were obtained on blood lipids for rs5186 in Malays and Chinese, and rs1403543 in Chinese females. The significant gene-diet interaction effects after adjusting for potential confounders were: rs5186 × VFSD on blood pressure in Malays (p = 0.016), and in Chinese on blood lipids for rs5186 × REFD (p = 0.009-0.023), and rs1403543 × VFSD in female subjects (p = 0.001-0.011). Malays and Chinese showed higher risk for blood pressure and/or lipids involving rs5186 and rs1403543 SNPs together with gene-diet interactions, but not Indians.

Common SNP rs6564851 in the BCO1 Gene Affects the Circulating Levels of ß-Carotene and the Daily Intake of Carotenoids in Healthy Japanese Women.

The circulating levels of ß-carotene are modulated not only by sex, but also by autosomal gene variations and fruit intake. The aim of this study was to investigate the interactions between ß-carotene metabolism-related gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; genetic factors) and nutrient intake (environmental factors) relating to their effects on circulating ß-carotene. The serum concentrations of ß-carotene and the habitual food intake of 92 healthy Japanese adults were examined. All subjects were genotyped for three common SNPs: rs6564851 in the ß-carotene 15,15'-oxygenase 1 (BCO1) gene, rs2278986 in the scavenger receptor class B member 1 (SCARB1) gene and rs362090 in the intestine-specific homeobox (ISX) gene. Univariate analysis revealed that the circulating ß-carotene levels were significantly higher in rs6564851 GG homozygotes (p = 0.003). Additionally, the daily intake of ß-cryptoxanthin was positively associated with the circulating ß-carotene levels in female GG homozygotes of rs6564851 (p = 0.023), and the daily intake of α- and ß-carotenes, and ß-cryptoxanthin was significantly lower in female rs6564851 T allele carries than in female GG homozygotes (p = 0.009, 0.008, 0.009, respectively). The present study apparently indicates that higher circulating ß-carotene levels in female rs6564851 GG homozygotes depend on carotenoid intake.

Mental, physical, dietary, and nutritional effects on irritable bowel syndrome in young Japanese women.

OBJECTIVE: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder. The pathogenesis of IBS is multifactorial. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of IBS using the Rome III criteria in young Japanese women and to assess the effects of mental, physical, dietary and nutritional factors on IBS. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, data obtained from self-administered questionnaires, including age, height, weight, lifestyle, food habits, anxiety and depressive states and IBS-related symptoms, were analyzed in 245 participants. An established semiquantitative questionnaire available for clinical investigation (FFQg) was used to obtain a detailed assessment of food intake and the physical activity levels. RESULTS: The prevalence of IBS was 12.0%. Of the IBS participants, constipation-predominant IBS (25.0%) was more prevalent than the diarrhea-predominant subtype (17.9%). The IBS participants had lower body mass indices, consumed less eggs and milk and were more physically active than the non-IBS participants. In addition, an anxiety state was more common in the IBS participants. Those who hesitated with evacuation of stool and who thought that there is an association between abdominal symptoms, such as constipation and diarrhea, and menstruation were more predominant among the IBS participants. The percentage of individuals who reported often rushing to the toilet within the past year and experiencing borborygmus (rumbling stomach) was greater among the IBS participants. A logistic regression analysis revealed that milk intake was an independent predictor of IBS. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of IBS observed in this study was similar to that reported in previous studies conducted in Japan and other countries. Mental, physical, dietary and nutritional factors have an impact on IBS.

Association and interaction between dietary pattern and VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR2) gene polymorphisms on blood lipids in Chinese Malaysian and Japanese adults.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dietary pattern and genetic predisposition of each population have different impacts on lifestyle-related chronic diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate the association and interaction between dietary patterns and VEGFR2 or KDR gene polymorphisms on physical and biochemical risk factors of cardiovascular disease in two Asian populations (179 Chinese Malaysian and 136 Japanese adults). METHODS: Dietary patterns were constructed from food frequency questionnaire using factor analysis. Genotyping of rs1870377 and rs2071559 was performed by real-time PCR using TaqMan probes. Physical measurements: body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures and biochemical parameters: glycated hemoglobin A1c and blood lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol/HDL-C ratio) were measured. RESULTS: Two dietary patterns were extracted for: Japanese ('Japanese diet' and 'Western diet') and Chinese Malaysians ('Balanced diet'; and 'Meat, rice and noodles diet'). In Japanese, 'Western Diet' and rs2071559 were associated with LDL-C and HDL-C, respectively. In Chinese Malaysians, 'Meat, rice and noodles diet' was asso-ciated with triglycerides, HDL-C and total cholesterol/HDL ratio while rs1870377 and rs2071559 were associated with total cholesterol and/or LDL-C. The interaction between 'Western Diet' and rs2071559 in Japanese and 'Meat, rice and noodles diet' and rs1870377 in Malaysians had significant effects on blood lipids after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSIONS: The association and interaction of dietary patterns and VEGFR2 gene polymorphisms on blood lipids differ between Chinese Malaysian and Japanese subjects by either decreasing or increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Interaction between VEGF receptor-2 gene polymorphisms and dietary patterns on blood glucose and lipid levels in Chinese Malaysian adults.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of lifestyle-related chronic diseases is increasing and gene-diet interaction studies are limited among the Malaysian population. This study was conducted to evaluate the association and interaction effects of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2(VEGFR2) gene polymorphisms and dietary patterns on anthropometric and biochemical risk factors of chronic diseases in 179 Chinese Malaysian adults. METHODS: Genotyping of rs1870377 and rs2071559 was performed by real-time PCR using TaqMan probes. Dietary patterns were constructed from the food frequency questionnaire using factor analysis. Anthropometric measurements: body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure and biomarkers: blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and lipids were obtained. RESULTS: Two dietary patterns: 'Balanced diet' and 'Meat, rice and noodles diet' (MRND) were extracted. MRND was associated with higher BMI, blood pressure, blood glucose and lipids, while T alleles in both rs1870377 and rs2071559 were associated with higher blood lipids (p < 0.05). The interaction of MRND and rs1870377 had a borderline effect on blood HbA1c after adjusting for confounders (p = 0.057). CONCLUSIONS: A dietary pattern of MRND and VEGFR2 gene polymorphisms were both associated with increased health risks of lifestyle-related chronic diseases particularly blood glucose and lipid levels in Chinese Malaysian adults.

Dietary patterns and stomach cancer among middle-aged male workers in Tokyo.

Many epidemiological studies have examined the associations of nutrients and foods with risk of stomach cancer. Few studies have addressed the dietary patterns that reflect various components of food consumption and their interactions. We identified major four dietary patterns; "vegetable and fruit", "Western breakfast", "meat", and "rice/snack" with principal component analysis using food consumption questionnaire in a prospective study of 5,765 middle-aged male workers in Tokyo. After 10 years of follow-up between September 1988 and August 1998, 84 incident cases of stomach cancer were documented. Using proportional hazards regression to estimate risk ratios, we found no clear association between each of dietary pattern and stomach cancer risk. After adjustment for age and other potential confounding factors and after exclusion of the cases diagnosed in first follow-up year, the risk ratio (RR) associated with high tertile compared to low tertile was 0.78(95%CI 0.42-1.44) for "vegetable and fruit" pattern and 0.71(95%CI 0.40-1.24) for "Western breakfast" pattern. The V-shaped associations between dietary patterns and stomach cancer risk were appeared in the "meat" (RR=1.00, 0.55, and 1.10) and the "rice/snack" (RR=1.00, 0.52, and 1.19) patterns, while the linear trend of these associations was statistically on borderline. The roll of overall dietary patterns in predicting stomach cancer risk requires further investigation.

The Effects of the Hepatitis B Virus and Occupational and Lifestyle Factors on Liver Function Among Workers in Shanghai.

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major health problem in China. This study examined liver function in relation to HBV infection, and the occupational and lifestyle factors among workers in Shanghai. The study included 690 male workers aged 20-59 employed at a steel manufacturing company. The occupational and lifestyle factors were evaluated by self-administered questionnaire addressing worksite, exposure to dust or chemicals, history of cigarette smoking and habitual alcohol consumption. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg) seropositivity was 21.4%. Elevated values of aspartate aminotransferase (AST, >30IU/liter) appeared in HBsAg-positive and current alcohol drinking groups but statistically on the borderline. There was a positive linear trend in the odds ratios(ORs) among age groups and ethanol consumption levels for elevated values of g-glutamyl transferase (GGT, >50IU/liter). There was no clear association between occupational exposure and liver functions. When the effects of HBsAg and the current alcohol drinking status on the elevated value of AST were examined simultaneously, OR for cases with HBsAg-positive and current alcohol drinking rose to 2.85(95%CI.98-8.28) against reference cases with HBsAg-negative and non-alcohol drinking, although this association was statistically on the borderline. The results indicated that some interventional attempts including educational strategy for alcohol drinking would be important among the HBsAg-positive cases to reduce the risk of liver dysfunction and further, hepatocellular carcinoma.