Relationship between polymorphisms in the CRP, LEP and LEPR genes and high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in Spanish children.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the C-reactive protein (CRP), leptin (LEP) and leptin receptor (LEPR) genes with high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) levels in two independent cohorts of healthy Spanish children.

METHODS: We measured hs-CRP levels in 646 6-8-year-old and 707 12-16-year-old children using a high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein ELISA kit. Four SNPs in the CRP gene (rs1205, rs1130864, rs2794521 and rs1800947), one SNP in the LEP gene (rs7799039) and two SNPs in the LEPR (rs1137100 and rs1137101) gene were determined by TaqMan® allelic discrimination assays.

RESULTS: The four CRP SNPs studied were significantly (p<0.05) associated with hs-CRP levels in both cohorts. Furthermore, two common CRP haplotypes (constructed using the SNPs in order: rs1205, rs1130864, rs1800947, rs2794521) ACGA and GCGG were associated with significantly lower CRP levels (p<0.05) at both ages. The LEPR SNPs rs1137100 (K109R) and rs1137101 (Q223R), and LEP SNP rs7799039 (G2548A) were also associated to hs-CRP levels (p<0.05) in both cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS: hs-CRP levels in healthy Spanish children, besides being associated to common polymorphisms in the CRP gene, are associated to polymorphisms in the LEP and LEPR genes, which suggests that other loci, in addition the CRP gene, may have a role determining CRP levels in children.