Causal Association of Haptoglobin With Obesity in Mexican Children: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

CONTEXT: Little is known about the association between haptoglobin level and cardiometabolic traits. A previous genome-wide association study identified rs2000999 in the HP gene as the stronger genetic contributor to serum haptoglobin level in European populations. OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: We investigated the association of HP rs2000999 with serum haptoglobin and childhood and adult obesity in up to 540/697 and 592/691 Mexican cases and controls, respectively. Anthropometric and biochemical data were collected. Serum haptoglobin was measured by an immunoturbidimetry assay. HP rs2000999 was genotyped using the TaqMan technology. Mendelian randomization analysis was performed using the Wald and inverse variance weighting methods. RESULTS: Haptoglobin level was positively associated with childhood and adult obesity. HP rs2000999 G allele was positively associated with haptoglobin level in children and adults. HP rs2000999 G allele was positively associated with childhood but not adult obesity. The association between HP rs2000999 and childhood obesity was removed after adjusting for haptoglobin level. In a Mendelian randomization analysis, haptoglobin level genetically predicted by HP rs2000999 showed a significant causal effect on childhood obesity by the Wald and inverse variance weighting methods. CONCLUSION: Our data provide evidence for the first time for a causal positive association between serum haptoglobin level and childhood obesity in the Mexican population. Our study contributes to the genetic elucidation of childhood obesity and proposes haptoglobin as an important biomarker and treatment target for obesity.

Effect of increases in plasma lactate concentration on intravascular hemolysis during exhaustive exercise / 体力科学

A study was performed to examine the effect of plasma lactate concentration on intravascular hemolysis during exercise. Seven men performed maximal and submaximal exercise on a cycle ergometer. The maximal exercise was performed as a graded exercise until exhaustion. The mean performance time of the maximal exercise was 15 min and 4 s. The submaximal exercise was performed for 30 min at 50% HRmax. Blood samples were obtained before, immediately after, and one hour after exercise. Plasma lactate concentration, hematocrit (Ht), and serum haptoglobin concentration (Hp) were measured. Hp was corrected by Ht for hemoconcentration and expressed as HpC. Plasma lactate concentration was elevated significantly (p<0.05) immediately after maximal exercise, and returned to the baseline values one hour after exercise, whereas plasma lactate concentration did not change after submaximal exercise. Hp and HpC did not change even after maximal exercise. These results suggest that the elevation in plasma lactate concentration may not affect intravascular hemolysis during exercise.