The FTO rs9939609 and LEPR rs1137101 mothers–newborns gene polymorphisms and maternal fat mass index effects on anthropometric characteristics in newborns: A cross-sectional study on mothers–newborns gene polymorphisms—The FTO-LEPR Study (STROBE-compliant article)

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of mothers’ and newborns’ fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) rs9939609 and leptin receptor (LEPR) rs1137101 gene polymorphisms on neonatal anthropometric parameters in order to identify a potential risk for developing obesity. We performed a cross-sectional study on 355 mother–newborn couples in an Obstetrics Gynecology Tertiary Hospital from Romania, evaluated with regard to anthropometric parameters, clinical and laboratory parameters besides 2 genetic polymorphisms (FTO rs9939609 and LEPR rs1137101). Newborns with mothers carrying variant AT or AA genotype for FTO rs9939609 presented lower BMI (P = 0.012) and lower MUAC (P = 0.029). There was a significant interaction effect between newborn and mother LEPR rs1137101 polymorphism on birth weight (P = 0.009) and BMI (P = 0.007). We noticed significantly increased birth weight and BMI in newborns carriers of AG + GG genotype, coming from mothers with AA genotype (P = 0.006). There was no evidence of significant interaction effect between newborn and mother FTO rs9939609 polymorphism on the studied anthropometrical data (P > 0.05). In addition, lower BMI scores (P = 0.042) were observed in newborns carriers of TT genotype whose mothers had AA + AT genotype. Lower MUAC scores (P = 0.041) were noticed in newborns carriers of AA + AT genotype whose mothers had AA + AT genotype for FTO rs9939609 gene polymorphism. Newborns carriers of the AG + GG genotype (P = 0.003) of LEPR rs1137101 coming from mothers with increased FMI (upper tertile) had significantly increased BMIs. Presence of the variant A allele of FTO rs9939609 polymorphism in mothers decreased BMI and MUAC in newborns. The impact of LEPR rs1137101 polymorphism on BMI and birth weight in newborns differed depending on the presence/absence of the dominant LEPR allele in mothers. In addition, we noticed that maternal FMI presented a significant positive effect on newborns’ BMI by changing the effect of LEPR rs1137101. We can conclude that mothers’ FTO rs9939609 and LEPR rs1137101 gene polymorphisms presented an impact on birth weight and newborns’ BMI, therefore being involved in the newborns’ nutritional status and in the design of a potential protocol.