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Objective: Rare cases of monogenic obesity, which may respond to specific therapeutics, can remain undetected in populations in which polygenic obesity is prevalent. This study examined rare DNA variation in established monogenic obesity genes within a community using whole-exome sequence data from 6803 longitudinally studied individuals., Methods: Exome data across 15 monogenic obesity genes were analyzed for nonsynonymous variants observed in any child with a maximum BMI z score > 2 (N = 279) but not observed in a child with a maximum BMI z score ≤ 0 (n = 1542) or that occurred in adults in the top 5th percentile of BMI (n = 263) but not in adults below the median BMI (n = 2629). Variants were then functionally analyzed using luciferase assays., Results: The comparisons between cases of obesity and controls identified eight missense variants in six genes: DYRK1B, KSR2, MC4R, NTRK2, PCSK1, and SIM1. Among these, MC4R p.A303P and p.R165G were previously shown to impair MC4R function. Functional analyses of the remaining six variants suggest that KSR2 p.I402F and p.T193I and NTRK2 p.S249Y alter protein function., Conclusions: In addition to MC4R, rare missense variants in KSR2 and NTRK2 may potentially explain the severe obesity observed for the carriers., (Published 2024. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Obesity Society.)

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4 (IGFBP4) is involved in adipogenesis, and IGFBP4 null mice have decreased body fat through decreased PPAR-γ expression. In the current study, we assessed whether variation in the IGFBP4 coding region influences body mass index (BMI) in American Indians who are disproportionately affected by obesity. Whole exome sequence data from a population-based sample of 6779 American Indians with longitudinal measures of BMI were used to identify variation in IGFBP4 that associated with BMI. A novel variant that predicts a p.Ser76Thr in IGFBP4 (Thr-allele frequency = 0.02) was identified which associated with the maximum BMI measured during adulthood (BMI 39.8 kg/m 2 for Thr-allele homozygotes combined with heterozygotes vs. 36.2 kg/m 2 for Ser-allele homozygotes, β = 6.7% per Thr-allele, p = 8.0 × 10 -5 , adjusted for age, sex, birth-year and the first five genetic principal components) and the maximum age- and sex-adjusted BMI z-score measured during childhood/adolescence (z-score 0.70 SD for Thr-allele heterozygotes vs. 0.32 SD for Ser-allele homozygotes, β = 0.37 SD per Thr-allele, p = 8.8 × 10 -6 ). In vitro functional studies showed that IGFBP4 with the Thr-allele (BMI-increasing) had a 55% decrease (p = 0.0007) in FOXO-induced transcriptional activity, reflecting increased activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway mediated through increased IGF signaling. Over-expression and knock-down of IGFBP4 in OP9 cells during differentiation showed that IGFBP4 upregulates adipogenesis through PPARγ, CEBPα, AGPAT2 and SREBP1 expression. We propose that this American Indian specific variant in IGFBP4 affects obesity via an increase of IGF signaling., (© 2022. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

The top genetic association signal for type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Southwestern American Indians maps to intron 15 of KCNQ1 , an imprinted gene. We aim to understand the biology whereby variation at this locus affects T2D specifically in this genomic background. To do so, we obtained human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) derived from American Indians. Using these iPSCs, we show that imprinting of KCNQ1 and CDKN1C during pancreatic islet-like cell generation from iPSCs is consistent with known imprinting patterns in fetal pancreas and adult islets and therefore is an ideal model system to study this locus. In this report, we detail the use of allele-specific guide RNAs and CRISPR to generate isogenic hiPSCs that differ only at multiple T2D associated intronic SNPs at this locus which can be used to elucidate their functional effects. Characterization of these isogenic hiPSCs identified a few aberrant cell lines; namely cell lines with large hemizygous deletions in the putative functional region of KCNQ1 and cell lines hypomethylated at the KCNQ1OT1 promoter. Comparison of an isogenic cell line with a hemizygous deletion to the parental cell line identified CDKN1C and H19 as differentially expressed during the endocrine progenitor stage of pancreatic-islet development.

Aims: Hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), encoded by the LIPE gene, is involved in lipolysis. Based on prior animal and human studies, LIPE was analysed as a candidate gene for the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a community-based sample of American Indians., Materials and Methods: Whole-exome sequence data from 6782 participants with longitudinal clinical measures were used to identify variation in LIPE., Results: Amongst the 16 missense variants identified, an Arg611Cys variant (rs34052647; Cys-allele frequency = 0.087) significantly associated with T2D (OR [95% CI] = 1.38 [1.17-1.64], p = 0.0002, adjusted for age, sex, birth year, and the first five genetic principal components) and an earlier onset age of T2D (HR = 1.22 [1.09-1.36], p = 0.0005). This variant was further analysed for quantitative traits related to T2D. Amongst non-diabetic American Indians, those with the T2D risk Cys-allele had increased insulin levels during an oral glucose tolerance test (0.07 SD per Cys-allele, p = 0.04) and a mixed meal test (0.08 log 10 µU/ml per Cys-allele, p = 0.003), and had increased lipid oxidation rates post-absorptively and during insulin infusion (0.07 mg [kg estimated metabolic body size {EMBS}] -1  min -1 per Cys-allele for both, p = 0.01 and 0.009, respectively), compared to individuals with the non-risk Arg-allele. In vitro functional studies showed that cells expressing the Cys-allele had a 17.2% decrease in lipolysis under isoproterenol stimulation (p = 0.03) and a 21.3% decrease in lipase enzyme activity measured by using p-nitrophenyl butyrate as a substrate (p = 0.04) compared to the Arg-allele., Conclusion: The Arg611Cys variant causes a modest impairment in lipolysis, thereby affecting glucose homoeostasis and risk of T2D., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)

Objective: In an ongoing effort to identify the genetic variation that contributes to obesity in American Indians, known Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) genes were analyzed for an effect on BMI and leptin signaling., Methods: Potentially deleterious variants (Combined Annotation Dependent Depletion score > 20) in BBS genes were identified in whole-exome sequence data from 6,851 American Indians informative for BMI. Common variants (detected in ≥ 10 individuals) were analyzed for association with BMI; rare variants (detected in < 10 individuals) were analyzed for mean BMI of carriers. Functional assessment of variants' effect on signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activity was performed in vitro., Results: One common variant, rs59252892 (Thr549Ile) in BBS9, was associated with BMI (P = 0.0008, β = 25% increase per risk allele). Among rare variants for which carriers had severe obesity (mean BMI > 40 kg/m 2 ), four were in BBS9. In vitro analysis of BBS9 found the Ile allele at Thr549Ile had a 20% increase in STAT3 activity compared with the Thr allele (P = 0.01). Western blot analysis showed the Ile allele had a 15% increase in STAT3 phosphorylation (P = 0.006). Comparable functional results were observed with Ser545Gly and Val209Leu but not Leu665Phe and Lys810Glu., Conclusions: Potentially functional variants in BBS genes in American Indians are reported. However, functional evidence supporting a causal role for BBS9 in obesity is inconclusive., (© 2021 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Obesity Society. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)

Background: Obesity and energy expenditure (EE) are heritable and genetic variants influencing EE may contribute to the development of obesity. We sought to identify genetic variants that affect EE in American Indians, an ethnic group with high prevalence of obesity., Methods: Whole-exome sequencing was performed in 373 healthy Pima Indians informative for 24-hour EE during energy balance. Genetic association analyses of all high-quality exonic variants (≥5 carriers) was performed, and those predicted to be damaging were prioritized., Results: Rs752074397 introduces a premature stop codon (Cys264Ter) in DAO and demonstrated the strongest association for 24-hour EE, where the Ter allele associated with substantially lower 24-hour EE (mean lower by 268 kcal/d) and sleeping EE (by 135 kcal/d). The Ter allele has a frequency = 0.5% in Pima Indians, whereas is extremely rare in most other ethnic groups (frequency < 0.01%). In vitro functional analysis showed reduced protein levels for the truncated form of DAO consistent with increased protein degradation. DAO encodes D-amino acid oxidase, which is involved in dopamine synthesis which might explain its role in modulating EE., Conclusion: Our results indicate that a nonsense mutation in DAO may influence EE in American Indians. Identification of variants that influence energy metabolism may lead to new pathways to treat human obesity., Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT00340132., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society 2020.)

Aims/hypothesis: The aim of this work was to examine the associations of average weight and weight velocity in three growth periods from birth through adolescence with type 2 diabetes incidence., Methods: Child participants were selected from a 43 year longitudinal study of American Indians to represent three growth periods: pre-adolescence (birth to ~8 years); early adolescence (~8 to ~13 years); and late adolescence (~13 to ~18 years). Age-, sex- and height-standardised weight z score mean and weight z score velocity (change/year) were computed for each period. Participants were followed for up to 25 years from the end of each growth period until they developed diabetes. Associations of weight z score mean or weight z score velocity with diabetes incidence were determined with sex-, birth date- and maternal diabetes-adjusted Poisson regression models., Results: Among 2100 participants representing the pre-adolescence growth period, 1558 representing the early adolescence period and 1418 representing the late adolescence period, there were 290, 315 and 380 incident diabetes cases, respectively. During the first 10 years of follow-up, the diabetes incidence rate ratio (95% CI) was 1.72 (1.40, 2.11)/SD of log 10 weight z score mean in pre-adolescence, 2.09 (1.68, 2.60)/SD of log 10 weight z score mean in early adolescence and 1.85 (1.58, 2.17)/SD of log 10 weight z score mean in late adolescence. The diabetes incidence rate ratio (95% CI) was 1.79 (1.49, 2.17)/SD of log 10 weight z score velocity in pre-adolescence, 1.13 (0.91, 1.41)/SD of log 10 weight z score velocity in early adolescence and 1.29 (1.09, 1.51)/SD of log 10 weight z score velocity in late adolescence. There were strong correlations in the weight z score means and weak correlations in the weight z score velocities between successive periods., Conclusions/interpretation: Higher weight and accelerated weight gain in all growth periods associate with increased type 2 diabetes risk. Importantly, higher weight and greater weight velocity during pre-adolescence jointly associate with the highest type 2 diabetes risk. Graphical abstract.

Objective: Insulinlike growth factor II (IGF-II) regulates metabolism and growth. In humans, both positive and negative relationships have been reported between serum IGF-II levels and obesity. This study assessed the relationship between serum IGF-II levels and BMI and determined whether IGF-II levels predict weight gain., Methods: Serum samples were available from 911 American Indians with a recorded BMI. IGF-II was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay., Results: Serum IGF-II levels were negatively correlated with BMI (r = -0.17, P = 4.4 × 10 -7 , adjusted for age, sex, and storage time). The strongest correlation was in participants aged ≥ 30 years (r = -0.28, P = 3.4 × 10 -8 , N = 349), a modest correlation was in participants aged 20 to 29 years (r = -0.15, P = 7.6 × 10 -3 , N = 322), and participants aged 15 to 19 years had no correlation (r = 0.05, P = 0.48, N = 240). IGF-II levels did not predict weight gain. However, among individuals who had genotypes for 64 established obesity variants (age ≥ 20 years, N = 671), a genetic risk score for high BMI was associated with lower IGF-II (β = -0.08 SD of IGF-II per SD of the genetic risk score, P = 0.025)., Conclusions: There is a negative relationship between IGF-II levels and BMI, in which the correlation is stronger at older ages. The association between genetic risk for BMI and IGF-II levels suggests that this correlation may be due to an effect of obesity on IGF-II., (Published 2020. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.)

Objective: Meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies in Europeans have identified > 98 loci for BMI. Transferability of these established associations in Pima Indians was analyzed., Methods: Among 98 lead single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 82 had minor allele frequency ≥ 0.01 in Pima Indians and were analyzed for association with the maximum BMI in adulthood (n = 3,491) and BMI z score in childhood (n = 1,958). Common tag SNPs across 98 loci were also analyzed for additional signals., Results: Among the lead SNPs, 13 (TMEM18, TCF7L2, MRPS33P4, PRKD1, ZFP64, FTO, TAL1, CALCR, GNPDA2, CREB1, LMX1B, ADCY9, NLRC3) were associated with BMI (P  ≤ 0.05) in Pima adults. A multi-allelic genetic risk score (GRS), which summed the risk alleles for 82 lead SNPs, showed a significant trend for a positive relationship between GRS and BMI in adulthood (beta = 0.48% per risk allele; P = 1.6 × 10 -9 ) and BMI z score in childhood (beta = 0.024 SD; P = 1.7 × 10 -7 ). GRS was significantly associated with BMI across all age groups ≥ 5 years, except for those ≥ 50 years. The strongest association was seen in adolescence (age 14-16 years; P = 1.84 × 10 -9 )., Conclusions: In aggregate, European-derived lead SNPs had a notable effect on BMI in Pima Indians. Polygenic obesity in this population manifests strongly in childhood and adolescence and persists throughout much of adult life., (© 2019 The Obesity Society.)

Aims: Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) is involved in cell growth and glucose homeostasis. In the current study, the IGF1R locus was analysed as a candidate gene for type 2 diabetes (T2D) in American Indians., Materials and Methods: Whole genome sequence data from 335 American Indians identified 3 novel missense variants in IGF1R. The associations of IGF1R variants with T2D, age of T2D onset and birth weight were analysed in a population-based sample of 7701 American Indians., Results: A novel glycine-to-aspartic acid substitution (G310D) in IGF1R was identified, which associated with T2D in a sex-specific manner (P sex interaction = 0.02). In women, the aspartic acid (D) allele (frequency = 0.034) was associated with increased risk for T2D (n = 4292, P = 2.0 × 10 -5 adjusted for age, birth year, and the first 5 genetic principal components; odds ratio [OR] = 2.23 [1.54-3.23] per risk allele) and an earlier age of T2D onset (n = 4292, P = 2 × 10 -4 , hazard rate ratio = 1.45 [1.20-1.75], P sex interaction = 0.05). Female carriers of the D-allele also had lower birth weight (n = 1313, β = -163 g, P = .006, P sex interaction = 0.008). Among 85 siblings discordant for G310D, carriers of the D-allele had shorter stature as compared with carriers of the G-allele (β = -1.6 cm, P = .001, within family model). The G310D variant was functionally studied in vitro, where the D-allele had a 22% increase (P = .0005) in FOXO1-induced transcriptional activity, due to decreased activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway mediated through reduced IGF1R activity., Conclusion: A unique G310D variant in IGF1R, which occurs in 6% American Indians, may impair IGF1R signalling pathways, thereby increasing the risk of T2D., (Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.)

Pima Indians living in Arizona have a high prevalence of obesity, and we have previously shown that a relatively lower energy expenditure (EE) predicts weight and fat mass gain in this population. EE is a familial trait (heritability = 0.52); therefore, in the current study, we aimed to identify genetic variants that affect EE and thereby influence BMI and body fatness in Pima Indians. Genotypic data from 491,265 variants were analyzed for association with resting metabolic rate (RMR) and 24-h EE assessed in a whole-room calorimeter in 507 and 419 Pima Indians, respectively. Variants associated with both measures of EE were analyzed for association with maximum BMI and percent body fat (PFAT) in 5,870 and 912 Pima Indians, respectively. rs11014566 nominally associated with both measures of EE and both measures of adiposity in Pima Indians, where the G allele (frequency: Pima Indians = 0.60, Europeans <0.01) associated with lower 24-h EE (β = -33 kcal/day per copy), lower RMR (β = -31 kcal/day), higher BMI (β = +0.6 kg/m 2 ), and higher PFAT (β = +0.9%). However, the association of rs11014566 with BMI did not directionally replicate when assessed in other ethnic groups. rs11014566 tags rs144895904, which affected promoter function in an in vitro luciferase assay. These variants map to GPR158 , which is highly expressed in the brain and interacts with two other genes ( RGS7 and CACNA1B ) known to affect obesity in knockout mice. Our results suggest that common ethnic-specific variation in GPR158 may influence EE; however, its role in weight gain remains controversial, as it either had no association with BMI or associated with BMI but in the opposite direction in other ethnic groups., (© 2017 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Background: Eight new loci for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were identified in an East Asian genome-wide association study meta-analysis. We assess tag SNPs across these loci for associations with T2DM in American Indians., Methods: A total of 435 SNPs that tag (R 2  ≥ .85) common variation across the 8 loci were analyzed for association with T2DM (n = 7710), early onset T2DM (n = 1060), body mass index (n = 6839), insulin sensitivity (n = 555), and insulin secretion (n = 298)., Results: Tag SNPs within FITM2-R3HDML-HNF4A, GLIS3, KCNK16, and ZFAND3 associated with T2DM after accounting for locus-wide multiple testing. The T2DM association in FITM2-R3HDML-HNF4A (rs3212183; P = .0002; OR = 1.19 [1.09-1.30]) was independent from the East Asian lead SNP (rs6017317), which did not associate with T2DM in American Indians. The top signals in GLIS3 (rs7875253; P = .0004; OR = 1.23 [1.10-1.38]) and KCNK16 (rs1544050; P = .002; OR = 1.16 [1.06-1.27]) were attenuated after adjustment for the East Asian lead SNPs (rs7041847 in GLIS3; rs1535500 in KCNK16), both of which also associated with T2DM in American Indians (P = .02; OR = 1.11 [1.01-1.21]; P = .007; OR = 1.19 [1.05-1.36] respectively). The top SNP in ZFAND3 (rs9470794; P = .002; OR = 1.43 [1.14-1.80]) was the identical East Asian lead SNP. Additional SNPs in GLIS3 (rs180867004) and ZFAND3 (rs4714120 and rs9470701) had significant genotype × sex interactions (P ≤ .008). The GLIS3 SNP (rs180867004) associated with T2DM only in men (P = .00006, OR = 1.94 [1.40-2.68]). The ZFAND3 SNPs (rs4714120 and rs9470701) associated with T2DM only in women (P = .0002, OR = 1.35 [1.16-1.59]; P = .0003, OR = 1.37 [1.16-1.63] respectively)., Conclusions: Replication of lead T2DM SNPs in GLIS3, KCNK16, and ZFAND3 was observed in American Indians. Sex-specific T2DM signals in GLIS3 and ZFAND3, which are distinct from the East Asian GWAS signals, were also identified., (Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.)

Background: Genetic variants that predispose individuals to obesity may have differing influences during childhood versus adulthood, and additive effects of such variants are likely to occur. Our ongoing studies to identify genetic determinants of obesity in American Indians have identified 67 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that reproducibly associate with maximum lifetime non-diabetic body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to identify when, during the lifetime, these variants have their greatest impact on BMI increase., Subjects/methods: A total of 5906 Native Americans of predominantly Pima Indian heritage with repeated measures of BMI between the ages of 5 and 45 years were included in this study. The association between each SNP with the rates of BMI increase during childhood (5-19 years) and adulthood (20-45 years) were assessed separately. The significant SNPs were used to calculate a cumulative allelic risk score (ARS) for childhood and adulthood, respectively, to assess the additive effect of these variants within each period of life., Results: The majority of these SNPs (36 of 67) were associated with rate of BMI increase during childhood (P-value range: 0.00004-0.05), whereas only nine SNPs were associated with rate of BMI change during adulthood (P-value range: 0.002-0.02). These 36 SNPs associated with childhood BMI gain likely had a cumulative effect as a higher childhood-ARS associated with rate of BMI change (β=0.032 kg m(-2) per year per risk allele, 95% confidence interval: 0.027-0.036, P<0.0001), such that at age 19 years, individuals with the highest number of risk alleles had a BMI of 10.2 kg m(-2) greater than subjects with the lowest number of risk alleles., Conclusions: Overall, our data indicates that genetic polymorphisms associated with lifetime BMI may influence the rate of BMI increase during different periods in the life course. The majority of these polymorphisms have a larger impact on BMI during childhood, providing further evidence that prevention of obesity will need to begin early in life.

Missense variants in KCNJ11 and ABCC8, which encode the KIR6.2 and SUR1 subunits of the β-cell KATP channel, have previously been implicated in type 2 diabetes, neonatal diabetes, and hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy (HHI). To determine whether variation in these genes affects risk for type 2 diabetes or increased birth weight as a consequence of fetal hyperinsulinemia in Pima Indians, missense and common noncoding variants were analyzed in individuals living in the Gila River Indian Community. A R1420H variant in SUR1 (ABCC8) was identified in 3.3% of the population (N = 7,710). R1420H carriers had higher mean birth weights and a twofold increased risk for type 2 diabetes with a 7-year earlier onset age despite being leaner than noncarriers. One individual homozygous for R1420H was identified; retrospective review of his medical records was consistent with HHI and a diagnosis of diabetes at age 3.5 years. In vitro studies showed that the R1420H substitution decreases KATP channel activity. Identification of this loss-of-function variant in ABCC8 with a carrier frequency of 3.3% affects clinical care as homozygous inheritance and potential HHI will occur in 1/3,600 births in this American Indian population., (© 2015 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.)

Objective: A prior genome-wide association study (GWAS) in Pima Indians identified variation within FOXO1A that modestly associated with early-onset (onset age < 25 years) type 2 diabetes (T2D). FOXO1A encodes the forkhead transcription factor involved in pancreatic β-cell growth and hypothalamic energy balance; therefore, FOXO1A was analyzed as a candidate gene for T2D and obesity in a population-based sample of 7,710 American Indians., Methods: Tag SNPs in/near FOXO1A (minor allele frequency ≥ 0.05) were analyzed for association with T2D at early onset (n = 1,060) and all ages (n = 7,710) and with insulin secretion (n = 298). SNPs were also analyzed for association with maximum body mass index (BMI) in adulthood (n = 5,918), maximum BMI z-score in childhood (n = 5,350), and % body fat (n = 555)., Results: An intronic SNP rs2297627 associated with early-onset T2D [OR = 1.34 (1.13-1.58), P = 8.7 × 10(-4)] and T2D onset at any age [OR = 1.19 (1.09-1.30), P = 1 × 10(-4) ]. The T2D risk allele also associated with lower acute insulin secretion (β = 0.88, as a multiplier, P = 0.02). Another intronic SNP (rs1334241, D' = 0.99, r(2) = 0.49 with rs2297627) associated with maximum adulthood BMI (β = 1.02, as a multiplier, P = 3 × 10(-5)), maximum childhood BMI z-score (β = 0.08, P = 3 × 10(-4)), and % body fat (β = 0.83%, P = 0.04)., Conclusions: Common variation in FOXO1A may modestly affect risk for T2D and obesity in American Indians., (© 2015 The Obesity Society.)

Objective: Identifying groups of individuals with similar patterns of body mass index (BMI) change during childhood may increase understanding of the relationship between childhood BMI and adult health., Methods: Discrete classes of BMI z-score change were determined in 1,920 American Indian children with at least four non diabetic health examinations between the ages of 2 and 18 years using latent class trajectory analysis. In subsets of subjects, data were available for melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) sequencing; in utero exposure to type 2 diabetes (T2D); or, as adults, oral glucose tolerance tests, onset of T2D, or body composition., Results: Six separate groups were identified. Individuals with a more modern birth year, an MC4R mutation, or in utero exposure to T2D were clustered in the two groups with high increasing and chronic overweight z-scores (P < 0.0001). The z-score classes predicted adult percent fat (P < 0.0001, partial r(2)  = 0.18 adjusted for covariates). There was a greater risk for T2D, independent from adult BMI, in three classes (lean increasing to overweight, high increasing, and chronic overweight z-scores) compared to the two leanest groups (respectively: HRR= 3.2, P = 0.01; 6.0, P = 0.0003; 11.6, P < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Distinct patterns of childhood BMI z-score change associate with adult adiposity and may impact risk of T2D., (© 2015 The Obesity Society.)

Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been identified, but there is little information on their role in populations at high risk for T2DM. We genotyped SNPs at 63 T2DM loci in 3,421 individuals from a high-risk American Indian population. Nominally significant (P < 0.05) associations were observed at nine SNPs in a direction consistent with the established association. A genetic risk score derived from all loci was strongly associated with T2DM (odds ratio 1.05 per risk allele, P = 6.2 × 10(-6)) and, in 292 nondiabetic individuals, with lower insulin secretion (by 4% per copy, P = 4.1 × 10(-6)). Genetic distances between American Indians and HapMap populations at T2DM markers did not differ significantly from genomic expectations. Analysis of U.S. national survey data suggested that 66% of the difference in T2DM prevalence between African Americans and European Americans, but none of the difference between American Indians and European Americans, was attributable to allele frequency differences at these loci. These analyses suggest that, in general, established T2DM loci influence T2DM in American Indians and that risk is mediated in part through an effect on insulin secretion. However, differences in allele frequencies do not account for the high population prevalence of T2DM., (© 2015 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.)

A prior genome-wide association study (GWAS) in Pima Indians identified a variant within PFKFB2 (rs17258746) associated with body mass index (BMI). PFKFB2 encodes 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose 2,6-bisphosphatase isoform 2, which plays a role in glucose metabolism. To follow-up on the GWAS, tag SNPs across PFKFB2 were genotyped in American Indians (AI) who had longitudinal data on BMI (n = 6839), type 2 diabetes (T2D; n = 7710), diabetic nephropathy (DN; n = 2452), % body fat (n = 555) and insulin secretion (n = 298). Two SNPs were further genotyped in urban AI to assess replication for DN (n = 864). PFKFB2 expression was measured in 201 adipose biopsies using real-time RT-PCR and 61 kidney biopsies using the Affymetrix U133 array. Two SNPs (rs17258746 and rs11120137), which capture the same signal, were associated with maximum BMI in adulthood (β = 1.02 per risk allele, P = 7.3 × 10(-4)), maximum BMI z-score in childhood (β = 0.079, P = 0.03) and % body fat in adulthood (β = 3.4%, P = 3 × 10(-7)). The adiposity-increasing allele correlated with lower PFKFB2 adipose expression (β = 0.81, P = 9.4 × 10(-4)). Lower expression of PFKFB2 further correlated with higher % body fat (r = -0.16, P = 0.02) and BMI (r = -0.17, P = 0.02). This allele was also associated with increased risk for DN in both cohorts of AI [odds ratio = 1.64 (1.32-2.02), P = 5.8 × 10(-6)], and similarly correlated with lower PFKFB2 expression in kidney glomeruli (β = 0.87, P = 0.03). The same allele was also associated with lower insulin secretion assessed by acute insulin response (β = 0.78, P = 0.03) and 30-min plasma insulin concentrations (β = 0.78, P = 1.1 × 10(-4)). Variation in PFKFB2 appears to reduce PFKFB2 expression in adipose and kidney tissues, and thereby increase risk for adiposity and DN., (Published by Oxford University Press 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.)

Aim/hypothesis: A recent genome-wide trans-ancestry meta-analysis identified seven new loci associated with type 2 diabetes. We assessed the replication of the seven lead single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and evaluated these loci for additional signals in American Indians., Methods: Seven SNPs were genotyped in 7,710 individuals from a longitudinally studied American Indian population, and associations with type 2 diabetes, BMI and related phenotypes were assessed. Previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from these individuals were used to screen for additional type 2 diabetes signals at these loci. A variant independent of the trans-ancestry meta-analysis was identified within LPP, and its replication was assessed in an additional 3,106 urban American Indians., Results: SNP rs6813195 near to TMEM154 was nominally associated with type 2 diabetes (p = 0.01, OR 1.12 [95% CI 1.03, 1.22]) and adiposity: the type 2 diabetes risk allele was associated with a lower percentage body fat (β = -1.451%, p = 4.8 × 10(-4)). Another SNP, rs3130501 near to POU5F1-TCF19, was associated with BMI (β = -0.012, p = 0.004), type 2 diabetes adjusted for BMI (p = 0.02, OR 1.11 [95% CI 1.02, 1.22]), 2 h glucose concentrations (β = 0.080 mmol/l, p = 0.02) and insulin resistance estimated by homeostatic model (β = 0.039, p = 0.009). The independent variant identified at the LPP locus in our American Indian GWAS for type 2 diabetes was replicated in the additional samples (all American Indian meta-analysis, p = 8.9 × 10(-6), OR 1.29 [95% CI 1.15, 1.45])., Conclusions/interpretation: For two of the seven newly identified variants, there was nominal evidence for association with type 2 diabetes and related traits in American Indians. Identification of an independent variant at the LPP locus suggests the existence of more than one type 2 diabetes signal at this locus.

Six rare functional coding mutations were previously identified in melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) in 6,760 American Indians. Individuals heterozygous for one of these mutations become obese while young. We now investigate whether common non-coding variation near MC4R also contributes to obesity. Fifty-six tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in 3,229 full-heritage Pima Indians, and nine of these SNPs which showed evidence for association were genotyped in additional 3,852 mixed-heritage American Indians. Associations of SNPs with maximum body mass index (BMI) in adulthood (n = 5,918), BMI z score in childhood (n = 5,350), percent body fat (n = 864), energy expenditure (n = 358) and ad libitum food intake (n = 178) were assessed. Conditional analyses demonstrated that SNPs, rs74861148 and rs483125, were independently associated with BMI in adulthood (β = 0.68 kg/m(2) per risk allele, p = 5 × 10(-5); β = 0.58 kg/m(2), p = 0.002, respectively) and BMI z score in childhood (β = 0.05, p = 0.02; β = 0.07, p = 0.01, respectively). One haplotype (frequency = 0.35) of the G allele at rs74861148 and the A allele at rs483125 provided the strongest evidence for association with adult BMI (β = 0.89 kg/m(2), p = 5.5 × 10(-7)), and was also associated with childhood BMI z score (β = 0.08, p = 0.001). In addition, a promoter SNP rs11872992 was nominally associated with adult BMI (β = 0.61 kg/m(2), p = 0.05) and childhood BMI z score (β = 0.11, p = 0.01), where the risk allele also modestly decreased transcription in vitro by 12 % (p = 0.005). This risk allele was further associated with increased percent body fat (β = 2.2 %, p = 0.002), increased food intake (β = 676 kcal/day, p = 0.007) and decreased energy expenditure (β = -53.4 kcal/day, p = 0.054). Common and rare variation in MC4R contributes to obesity in American Indians.

Background: In rodents, hypothalamic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression appears to be regulated by melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) activity. The impact of MC4R genetic variation on circulating BDNF in humans is unknown., Objective: The objective of this study is to compare BDNF concentrations of subjects with loss-of-function (LOF) and gain-of-function (GOF) MC4R variants with those of controls with common sequence MC4R., Methods: Circulating BDNF was measured in two cohorts with known MC4R sequence: 148 subjects of Pima Indian heritage ((mean±s.d.): age, 15.7±6.5 years; body mass index z-scores (BMI-Z), 1.63±1.03) and 69 subjects of Hispanic heritage (10.8±3.6 years; BMI-Z, 1.57±1.07). MC4R variants were characterized in vitro by cell surface expression, receptor binding and cyclic AMP response after agonist administration. BDNF single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs12291186, rs6265 and rs7124442 were also genotyped., Results: In the Pima cohort, no significant differences in serum BDNF was observed for 43 LOF subjects versus 65 LOF-matched controls (age, sex and BMI matched; P=0.29) or 20 GOF subjects versus 20 GOF-matched controls (P=0.40). Serum BDNF was significantly associated with genotype for BDNF rs12291186 (P=0.006) and rs6265 (P=0.009), but not rs7124442 (P=0.99); BDNF SNPs did not interact with MC4R status to predict serum BDNF. In the Hispanic cohort, plasma BDNF was not significantly different among 21 LOF subjects, 20 GOF subjects and 28 controls (P=0.79); plasma BDNF was not predicted by BDNF genotype or BDNF-x-MC4R genotype interaction., Conclusions: Circulating BDNF concentrations were not significantly associated with MC4R functional status, suggesting that peripheral BDNF does not directly reflect hypothalamic BDNF secretion and/or that MC4R signaling is not a significant regulator of the bulk of BDNF expression in humans.

Aims/hypothesis: Glucokinase (GCK) plays a role in glucose metabolism and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Rare mutations in GCK cause MODY. We investigated whether common variation (minor allele frequency ≥0.01) in GCK is associated with metabolic traits and type 2 diabetes., Methods: Four exonic single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and three SNPs predicted to cause loss of promoter function were identified in whole-genome sequence data from 234 Pima Indians. These seven tag SNPs and rs4607517, a type 2 diabetes variant established in other studies, were analysed in 415 full-heritage non-diabetic Pima Indians characterised for metabolic traits, and 7,667 American Indians who had data on type 2 diabetes and BMI., Results: A novel 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) SNP, chr7:44184184-G/A, was associated with the rate of carbohydrate oxidation post-absorptively (β = 0.22 mg [kg estimated metabolic body size (EMBS)](-1) min(-1), p = 0.005) and during a hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp (β = 0.24 mg [kg EMBS](-1) min(-1), p = 0.0002), the rate of carbohydrate oxidation in a respiratory chamber (β = 311 kJ/day, p = 0.03) and 24 h energy expenditure, which was attributable to the thermic effect of food (β = 520 kJ/day, p = 3.39 × 10(-6)). This 3'UTR SNP was also associated with diabetes (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.11, 1.65, p = 0.002), where the A allele (allele frequency 0.05) was associated with a lower rate of carbohydrate oxidation, lower 24 h energy expenditure and higher risk for diabetes. In a Cox proportional hazards model, a rate of insulin-stimulated carbohydrate oxidation lower than the mean rate at baseline predicted a higher risk for developing diabetes than for those above the mean (hazard rate ratio 2.2, 95% CI 1.3, 3.6, p = 0.002)., Conclusions/interpretation: Common variation in GCK influences the rate of carbohydrate oxidation, 24 h energy expenditure and diabetes risk in Pima Indians.

Objective: Few coding variants in genes associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have been identified, and the underlying physiologic mechanisms whereby susceptibility genes influence T2D risk are often unknown. The objective of this study was to identify coding variation that increases risk for T2D via an effect on a pre-diabetic trait., Methods: Whole exome sequencing was done in 177 Pima Indians. Selected variants (N = 345) were genotyped in 555 subjects characterized for body fatness, glucose disposal rates during a clamp, acute insulin response to glucose, and 2-h plasma glucose concentrations during an OGTT, and were also genotyped in up to 5,880 subjects with longitudinal measures of BMI. Variants associated with quantitative traits were assessed for association with T2D in 7,667 subjects., Results: rs7238987 in CYB5A associated with body fatness (P = 7.0 × 10(-6) ). This SNP and a novel SNP in RNF10 also associated with maximum recorded BMI (P = 6.2 × 10(-7) and P = 7.2 × 10(-4) ) and maximum childhood BMI z-score (P = 5.9 × 10(-4) and P = 8.5 × 10(-7) ). The BMI increasing alleles increased the risk for T2D (P = 0.01; OR = 1.13 [1.03-1.24] and 9.5 × 10(-3) ; OR = 1.49 [1.10-2.02])., Conclusions: CYB5A, which has a role in stearyl-CoA-desaturase activity, and RNF10, with an unknown role in weight regulating pathways, associated with adiposity and nominally increased the risk for T2D in American Indians., (Copyright © 2013 The Obesity Society.)

Most genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been identified through genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in Europeans. The current study reports a GWAS for young-onset T2DM in American Indians. Participants were selected from a longitudinal study conducted in Pima Indians and included 278 cases with diabetes with onset before 25 years of age, 295 nondiabetic controls ≥45 years of age, and 267 siblings of cases or controls. Individuals were genotyped on a ∼1M single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array, resulting in 453,654 SNPs with minor allele frequency >0.05. SNPs were analyzed for association in cases and controls, and a family-based association test was conducted. Tag SNPs (n = 311) were selected for 499 SNPs associated with diabetes (P < 0.0005 in case-control analyses or P < 0.0003 in family-based analyses), and these SNPs were genotyped in up to 6,834 additional Pima Indians to assess replication. Rs1861612 in DNER was associated with T2DM (odds ratio = 1.29 per copy of the T allele; P = 6.6 × 10(-8), which represents genome-wide significance accounting for the number of effectively independent SNPs analyzed). Transfection studies in murine pancreatic β-cells suggested that DNER regulates expression of notch signaling pathway genes. These studies implicate DNER as a susceptibility gene for T2DM in American Indians.

To identify genes that affect body mass index (BMI) in American Indians who are predominately of Pima Indian heritage, we previously completed a genome-wide association study in 1120 American Indians. That study also included follow-up genotyping for 9 SNPs in 2133 additional subjects. A comprehensive follow-up study has subsequently been completed where 292 SNPs were genotyped in 3562 subjects, of which 128 SNPs were assessed for replication in 3238 additional subjects. In the combined subjects (n = 6800), BMI associations for two SNPs, rs12882548 and rs11652094, approached genome-wide significance (P = 6.7 × 10(-7) and 8.1 × 10(-7), respectively). Rs12882548 is located in a gene desert on chromosome 14 and rs11652094 maps near MAP2K3. Several SNPs in the MAP2K3 region including rs11652094 were also associated with BMI in Caucasians from the GIANT consortium (P = 10(-2)-10(-5)), and the combined P-values across both American Indians and Caucasian were P = 10(-4)-10(-9). Follow-up sequencing across MAP2K3 identified several paralogous sequence variants indicating that the region may have been duplicated. MAP2K3 expression levels in adipose tissue biopsies were positively correlated with BMI, although it is unclear if this correlation is a cause or effect. In vitro studies with cloned MAP2K3 promoters suggest that MAP2K3 expression may be up-regulated during adipogenesis. Microarray analyses of mouse hypothalamus cells expressing constitutively active MAP2K3 identified several up-regulated genes involved in immune/inflammatory pathways and a gene, Hap1, thought to play a role in appetite regulation. We conclude that MAP2K3 is a reproducible obesity locus that may affect body weight via complex mechanisms involving appetite regulation and hypothalamic inflammation.

Parent-of-origin effects were observed in an Icelandic population for several genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes, including those in KLF14 (rs4731702), MOB2 (rs2334499), and KCNQ1 (rs2237892, rs231362). We analyzed parent-of-origin effects for these variants, along with two others in KCNQ1 identified in previous genome-wide association studies (rs2237895, rs2299620), in 7,351 Pima Indians from 4,549 nuclear families; 34% of participants had diabetes. In a subset of 287 normoglycemic individuals, acute insulin secretion was measured by an intravenous glucose tolerance test. Statistically significant (P < 0.05) parent-of-origin effects were seen for association with type 2 diabetes for all variants. The strongest effect was seen at rs2299620 in KCNQ1; the C allele was associated with increased diabetes when maternally derived (odds ratio [OR], 1.92; P = 4.1 × 10(-12)), but not when paternally derived (OR, 0.93; P = 0.47; P = 9.9 × 10(-6) for difference in maternal and paternal effects). A maternally derived C allele also was associated with a 28% decrease in insulin secretion (P = 0.002). This study confirms parent-of-origin effects in the association with type 2 diabetes for variants in KLF14, MOB2, and KCNQ1. In Pima Indians, the effect of maternally derived KCNQ1 variants appears to be mediated through decreased insulin secretion and is particularly strong, accounting for 4% of the variance in liability to diabetes.

A prior linkage scan in Pima Indians identified a putative locus for type two diabetes (T2D) and body mass index (BMI) on chromosome 11q23-25. Association mapping across this region identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the trehalase gene (TREH) that were associated with T2D. To assess the putative connection between trehalase activity and T2D, we performed a linkage study for trehalase activity in 570 Pima Indians who had measures of trehalase activity. Strong evidence of linkage of plasma trehalase activity (LOD = 7.0) was observed in the TREH locus. Four tag SNPs in TREH were genotyped in these subjects and plasma trehalase activity was highly associated with three SNPs: rs2276064, rs117619140 and rs558907 (p = 2.2 × 10(-11)-1.4 × 10(-23)), and the fourth SNP, rs10790256, was associated conditionally on these three (p = 2.9 × 10(-7)). Together, the four tag SNPs explained 51 % of the variance in plasma trehalase activity and 79 % of the variance attributed to the linked locus. These four tag SNPs were further genotyped in 828 subjects used for association mapping of T2D, and rs558907 was associated with T2D (odds ratio (OR) 1.94, p = 0.002). To assess replication of the T2D association, all four tag SNPs were additionally genotyped in two non-overlapping samples of Native Americans. Rs558907 was reproducibly associated with T2D in 2,942 full-heritage Pima Indians (OR 1.27 p = 0.03) and 3,897 "mixed" heritage Native Americans (OR 1.21, p = 0.03), and the strongest evidence for association came from combining all samples (OR 1.27 p = 1.6 × 10(-4), n = 7,667). However, among 320 longitudinally studied subjects, measures of trehalase activity from a non-diabetic exam did not predict those who would eventually develop diabetes versus those who would remain non-diabetic (hazard ratio 0.94 per SD of trehalase activity, p = 0.29). We conclude that variants in TREH control trehalase activity, and although one of these variants is also reproducibly associated with T2D, it is likely that the effect of the SNP on risk of T2D occurs by a mechanism different than affecting trehalase activity. Alternatively, TREH variants may be tagging a nearby T2D locus.

To develop in vivo assays for homeobox gene function in neural development, we generated transgenic mice in which the expression of a homeobox gene is altered only within the nervous system, in neurons or neuronal precursor cells. Transgenic expression of Hoxc8 did not result in gross abnormalities, while a Hoxd4 transgene caused death shortly after birth. In neural progenitor cells, the motorneuron-specific homeodomain transcription factor Isl1 induced early developmental defects, including absence of anterior neural structures, profound defects in the neuroepithelium and defective neural tube closure. A fraction of Isl1 transgenic mice exhibited spina bifida. Isl1 transgene expression was also associated with decreased proliferation and increased Pbx1 expression in the ventral neural tube. Our results suggest a function for some homeobox genes in development of the nervous system, and that cell-type- and region-specific transgenic models will be useful to identify the cellular and molecular targets of homeobox transcription factors in nervous system development.

Features of melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) deficiency have been observed to be more pronounced in childhood. Longitudinal data from a population-based study were used to separate the phenotypic effects of MC4R deficiency during childhood and adulthood. The MC4R exon was sequenced in 6,760 individuals of predominantly Pima Indian heritage, and discovered mutations were functionally assessed in vitro. Effects on BMI, height, and slope of BMI change were assessed during childhood (ages 5-20 years) and adulthood (ages 20-45 years). Six mutations affecting MC4R function, including three that may be private to Pima Indians, were found in 159 individuals (2.4%). The slope of BMI increase was greater in individuals carrying an MC4R mutation compared with noncarriers during childhood but not during adulthood. The final adult height obtained was higher in individuals with MC4R deficiency. There was an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes in individuals with a defective MC4R during childhood and adulthood, but this was only independent of BMI in childhood. The greater rates of body mass accumulation and risk of type 2 diabetes before the age of 20 years in individuals with MC4R deficiency indicate that the effects of these mutations are more apparent during the active growth of childhood.

Background: The type 2 deiodinase gene (DIO2) encodes a deiodinase that converts the thyroid prohormone, thyroxine, to the biologically active triiodothyronine. Thyroid hormones regulate energy balance and may also influence glucose metabolism. Therefore, we hypothesized that variations in DIO2 could contribute to obesity or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Pima Indians., Methods: Sequencing of the DIO2 gene in DNA from 83 Pima Indians identified 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Several of these SNPs were in perfect genotypic concordance among the 83 samples that were sequenced, and all 12 could be divided into five linkage disequilibrium groups. One representative SNP from each group (Thr92Ala, rs225011, rs225015, rs6574549, and a rare 5' flanking SNP) was selected for further genotyping for association analyses. In this study, the five selected variants in DIO2, as described above, were genotyped in three groups of Pima Indians: (i) a case (n=150)/control (n=150) group for early-onset T2DM (onset age <25 years); (ii) a case (n=362)/control (n=127) group for obesity; (iii) a large (n=1,311, cases n=810/controls n=501) family-based group, of which 256 nondiabetic subjects had undergone detailed metabolic phenotyping., Results: The Thr92Ala variant common in Pima Indians, rs225011, and rs225015 were modestly associated with early-onset T2DM (p=0.01-0.04) in the case-control study, but were not associated with obesity in the obesity case-control study, nor associated with T2DM (at any age) or body-mass index (BMI; as a quantitative trait) in the family-based analysis. Thr92Ala, rs225011, rs225015, and rs6574549 were also nominally associated with hepatic glucose output (p=0.02). rs6574549 was associated with fasting insulin (p=0.02), insulin action (p=0.04), and energy expenditure (p=0.02). None of these nominal associations remained statistically significant after corrections for multiple testing., Conclusions: We propose that variation in DIO2 may have a subtle role in altering metabolic processes that lead to early-onset T2DM, but this gene does not have a large impact on T2DM at older ages, nor does DIO2 influence BMI in the Pima Indian population.

Aims/hypothesis: We sought to identify the physiological implications of genetic variation at the HLA-DRB1 region in full-heritage Pima Indians in Arizona., Methods: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms from the HLA region on chromosome 6p were tested for association with skeletal muscle mRNA expression of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DRA, and with type 2 diabetes mellitus and prediabetic traits., Results: The A allele at rs9268852, which tags HLA-DRB1 02(1602), was associated both with higher HLA-DRB1 mRNA expression (n = 133, p = 4.27 × 10(-14)) and decreased risk of type 2 diabetes (n = 3,265, OR 0.723, p = 0.002). Among persons with normal glucose tolerance (n = 266) this allele was associated with a higher mean acute insulin response during an intravenous glucose tolerance test (p = 0.005), higher mean 30 min insulin concentration during an oral glucose tolerance test (p = 0.017) and higher body fat percentage (p = 0.010). The polymorphism was not associated with HLA-DRA mRNA expression or insulin sensitivity., Conclusions/interpretation: HLA-DRB1*02 is protective for type 2 diabetes, probably by enhancing self tolerance, thereby protecting against the autoimmune-mediated reduction of insulin secretion.

Objective: A genome-wide association study (GWAS) in Pima Indians (n = 413) identified variation in the ataxin-2 binding protein 1 gene (A2BP1) that was associated with percent body fat. On the basis of this association and the obese phenotype of ataxin-2 knockout mice, A2BP1 was genetically and functionally analyzed to assess its potential role in human obesity., Research Design and Methods: Variants spanning A2BP1 were genotyped in a population-based sample of 3,234 full-heritage Pima Indians, 2,843 of whom were not part of the initial GWAS study and therefore could serve as a sample to assess replication. Published GWAS data across A2BP1 were additionally analyzed in French adult (n = 1,426) and children case/control subjects (n = 1,392) (Meyre et al. Nat Genet 2009;41:157-159). Selected variants were genotyped in two additional samples of Caucasians (Amish, n = 1,149, and German children case/control subjects, n = 998) and one additional Native American (n = 2,531) sample. Small interfering RNA was used to knockdown A2bp1 message levels in mouse embryonic hypothalamus cells., Results: No single variant in A2BP1 was reproducibly associated with obesity across the different populations. However, different variants within intron 1 of A2BP1 were associated with BMI in full-heritage Pima Indians (rs10500331, P = 1.9 × 10(-7)) and obesity in French Caucasian adult (rs4786847, P = 1.9 × 10(-10)) and children (rs8054147, P = 9.2 × 10(-6)) case/control subjects. Reduction of A2bp1 in mouse embryonic hypothalamus cells decreased expression of Atxn2, Insr, and Mc4r., Conclusions: Association analysis suggests that variation in A2BP1 influences obesity, and functional studies suggest that A2BP1 could potentially affect adiposity via the hypothalamic MC4R pathway.

Objective: MBL2 encodes the mannose-binding lectin, which is a key player in the innate immune system and has recently been found to play a role in insulin resistance and development of type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes mellitus. To assess the role of MBL2 in diabetes susceptibility, this gene was analyzed in the Pima Indian population, which has a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes., Research Design and Methods: Nineteen tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in a population-based sample of 3,501 full-heritage Pima Indians, and selected SNPs were further genotyped in independent samples of Native American (n = 3,723) and Old Order Amish (n = 486) subjects., Results: Two variants, a promoter SNP (rs11003125) at -550 bp with a risk allele frequency of 0.77 and a Gly54Asp (rs1800450) with a risk allele frequency of 0.83, were associated with type 2 diabetes in the full-heritage Pima Indians (odds ratio 1.30 per copy of the G allele for rs1103125, P = 0.0007, and 1.30 per copy of the glycine allele for rs1800450, P = 0.002, adjusted for age, sex, birth year, and family membership). These associations replicated in an independent Native American sample (1.19, P = 0.04, for rs11003125) and a Caucasian sample, the Old Order Amish (1.51, P = 0.004, for rs1103125 and 2.38, P = 0.003, for rs1800450). Among Pima Indians with normal glucose tolerance, the diabetes risk allele glycine of Gly54Asp was associated with a decreased acute insulin response to an intravenous glucose bolus infusion (P = 0.004, adjusted for age, sex, percent body fat, glucose disposal under physiological insulin stimulation, and family membership)., Conclusions: Our data suggest that the functional variants in MBL2 contribute to type 2 diabetes susceptibility in both Native Americans and the Old Order Amish.

Aims/hypothesis: A prior genome-wide association study in Pima Indians identified a variant within the ACAD10 gene that is associated with early-onset type 2 diabetes. Acylcoenzyme A dehydrogenase 10 (ACAD10) catalyses mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation, which plays a pivotal role in developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, ACAD10 was analysed as a positional and biological candidate for type 2 diabetes., Methods: Twenty-three SNPs were genotyped in 1,500 Pima Indians to determine the linkage disequilibrium pattern across ACAD10. Association with type 2 diabetes was determined by genotyping four tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a population-based sample of 3,501 full-heritage Pima Indians; two associated SNPs were further genotyped in a second population-based sample of 3,723 American Indians. Associations with quantitative traits were assessed in 415 non-diabetic full heritage Pima individuals who had been metabolically phenotyped., Results: SNPs rs601663 and rs659964 were associated with type 2 diabetes in the full-heritage Pima Indian sample (p=0.04 and 0.0006, respectively), and rs659964 was further associated with type 2 diabetes in the second American Indian sample (p=0.04). Combination of these two samples provided the strongest evidence for association (p=0.009 and 0.00007, for rs601663 and rs659964, respectively). Quantitative trait analyses identified nominal associations with both lower lipid oxidation rate and larger subcutaneous abdominal adipocyte size, which is consistent with the known physiology of ACAD10, and also identified associations with increased insulin resistance., Conclusions/interpretation: We propose that ACAD10 variation may increase type 2 diabetes susceptibility by impairing insulin sensitivity via abnormal lipid oxidation.

Objective: Prior genome-wide association and exon array expression studies both provided suggestive evidence that apoptosis signal regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) may influence in vivo insulin action in Pima Indians. Genetic variants in or near ASK1 were analyzed to assess the role of this gene in insulin action and type 2 diabetes., Research Design and Methods: Genotypic data from 31 variants were used to determine the linkage disequilibrium pattern across ASK1 in Pima Indians. Eight tag SNPs were initially genotyped in 3,501 full-heritage Pima Indians. Replication for association with diabetes was assessed in a second population-based sample of 3,723 Native Americans and the published DIAGRAM study. Quantitative traits were analyzed in 536 nondiabetic Native Americans, and ASK1 expression was examined in skeletal muscle of 153 nondiabetic Native Americans., Results: Three tag SNPs were associated with type 2 diabetes (rs35898099, P = 0.003, odds ratio [95% CI] 1.27 [1.08-1.47]; rs1570056, P = 0.007, 1.19 [1.05-1.36]; rs7775356, P = 0.04, 1.14 [1.01-1.28]) in the full-heritage Pima Indians. The association with rs35898099 was replicated in a second sample of Native Americans (P = 0.04, 1.22 [1.01-1.47]), while that for rs1570056 was replicated in the DIAGRAM study of Caucasians (Z statistic based P = 0.026; fixed-effect model, 1.06 [1.00-1.12]). The diabetes risk allele for rs1570056 was associated with reduced insulin action as assessed by either HOMA-IR in 2,549 nondiabetic full-heritage Pima Indians (P = 0.027) or a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp among 536 nondiabetic Native Americans (P = 0.02). Real-time PCR identified a positive correlation between ASK1 expression in skeletal muscle biopsies and in vivo insulin action (P = 0.02, r = 0.23), and the risk allele for rs1570056 was associated with lower ASK1 expression (P = 0.003, r = -0.22)., Conclusions: ASK1 variants may increase susceptibility to type 2 diabetes by decreasing insulin sensitivity via reduced ASK1 expression.

The protein encoded by the PPARGC1A gene is expressed at high levels in metabolically active tissues and is involved in the control of oxidative stress via reactive oxygen species detoxification. Several recent reports suggest that the PPARGC1A Gly482Ser (rs8192678) missense polymorphism may relate inversely with blood pressure. We used conventional meta-analysis methods to assess the association between Gly482Ser and systolic (SBP) or diastolic blood pressures (DBP) or hypertension in 13,949 individuals from 17 studies, of which 6,042 were previously unpublished observations. The studies comprised cohorts of white European, Asian, and American Indian adults, and adolescents from South America. Stratified analyses were conducted to control for population stratification. Pooled genotype frequencies were 0.47 (Gly482Gly), 0.42 (Gly482Ser), and 0.11 (Ser482Ser). We found no evidence of association between Gly482Ser and SBP [Gly482Gly: mean = 131.0 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 130.5-131.5 mmHg; Gly482Ser mean = 133.1 mmHg, 95% CI = 132.6-133.6 mmHg; Ser482Ser: mean = 133.5 mmHg, 95% CI = 132.5-134.5 mmHg; P = 0.409] or DBP (Gly482Gly: mean = 80.3 mmHg, 95% CI = 80.0-80.6 mmHg; Gly482Ser mean = 81.5 mmHg, 95% CI = 81.2-81.8 mmHg; Ser482Ser: mean = 82.1 mmHg, 95% CI = 81.5-82.7 mmHg; P = 0.651). Contrary to previous reports, we did not observe significant effect modification by sex (SBP, P = 0.966; DBP, P = 0.715). We were also unable to confirm the previously reported association between the Ser482 allele and hypertension [odds ratio: 0.97, 95% CI = 0.87-1.08, P = 0.585]. These results were materially unchanged when analyses were focused on whites only. However, statistical evidence of gene-age interaction was apparent for DBP [Gly482Gly: 73.5 (72.8, 74.2), Gly482Ser: 77.0 (76.2, 77.8), Ser482Ser: 79.1 (77.4, 80.9), P = 4.20 x 10(-12)] and SBP [Gly482Gly: 121.4 (120.4, 122.5), Gly482Ser: 125.9 (124.6, 127.1), Ser482Ser: 129.2 (126.5, 131.9), P = 7.20 x 10(-12)] in individuals <50 yr (n = 2,511); these genetic effects were absent in those older than 50 yr (n = 5,088) (SBP, P = 0.41; DBP, P = 0.51). Our findings suggest that the PPARGC1A Ser482 allele may be associated with higher blood pressure, but this is only apparent in younger adults.

Objective: The transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene was initially reported to be associated with type 2 diabetes in Icelandic, Danish, and U.S. populations. We investigated whether TCF7L2 also has a role in type 2 diabetes susceptibility in Pima Indians., Research Design and Methods: The six variants reported to be associated with type 2 diabetes in the Icelandic study were genotyped in a population-based sample of 3,501 Pima Indians (1,561 subjects had type 2 diabetes, and 1,940 did not have diabetes). In addition, the coding and promoter regions of TCF7L2 were sequenced in 24 Pima subjects. The one variant identified by sequencing, 35 additional database variants positioned in introns, and the six variants reported in the Icelandic study were genotyped in Pima families to determine the haplotype structure of TCF7L2 among Pima Indians. Fourteen representative variants were selected and genotyped in 3,501 Pima Indians., Results: The six variants initially reported to be associated with type 2 diabetes were less common in Pima Indians compared with samples of European origin, and none were associated with type 2 diabetes. One representative variant, rs1225404, was nominally associated with type 2 diabetes in a general model (additive P = 0.03, dominant P = 0.005) but not in a within-family analysis (additive P = 0.2, dominant P = 0.07). However, several variants were associated with BMI; in particular, rs12255372 was associated in both general and within-family analyses (both P = 0.0007). Modest associations were also found with traits predictive for type 2 diabetes., Conclusions: Variation within TCF7L2 does not confer major risk for type 2 diabetes among the Pima Indian population.

Objective: Linkage to type 2 diabetes has been reported on chromosome 1q21-25 in Pima Indians. Fine mapping identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near the CACNA1E gene associated with this disease. CACNA1E encodes the voltage-dependent calcium channel Ca(v)2.3 Ca(2+), and mice lacking this channel exhibit impaired glucose tolerance and insulin secretion. Therefore, CACNA1E was investigated as a positional candidate gene., Research Design and Methods: CACNA1E was sequenced, and 28 SNPs were genotyped in the same group of Pima subjects who had been analyzed in the linkage study. Allele-specific expression was used to functionally evaluate a variant in the 3' untranslated region (UTR)., Results: A novel G/A variant in the 3'-UTR was associated with young-onset type 2 diabetes (odds ratio 2.09 per copy of the G-allele [95% CI 1.31-3.33], adjusted P = 0.001) and had an effect on the evidence for linkage at chromosome 1q21-25 (P = 0.004). Among 372 nondiabetic Pima subjects who had undergone metabolic testing, the risk allele was associated with reduced insulin action including increased fasting, 30, 60, and 120 min plasma glucose concentrations and increased fasting plasma insulin during an oral glucose tolerance test (all P < 0.01), as well as a decreased rate of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal at both physiologically and maximally stimulated insulin concentrations (both P < 0.002). Functional analysis of this variant showed that the nonrisk allele had a 2.3-fold higher expression compared with the risk allele., Conclusions: A functional variant in CACNA1E contributes to type 2 diabetes susceptibility by affecting insulin action. This variant partially explains the linkage to type 2 diabetes on chromosome 1q21-25 in Pima Indians.

Association (e.g. case-control) studies are often used to finely map loci identified by linkage analysis. We investigated the influence of various parameters on power and sample size requirements for such a study. Calculations were performed for various values of a high-risk functional allele (fA), frequency of a marker allele associated with the high risk allele (f1), degree of linkage disquilibrium between functional and marker alleles (D') and trait heritability attributable to the functional locus (h2). The calculations show that if cases and controls are selected from equal but opposite extreme quantiles of a quantitative trait, the primary determinants of power are h2 and the specific quantiles selected. For a dichotomous trait, power also depends on population prevalence. Power is optimal if functional alleles are studied (fA= f1 and D'= 1.0) and can decrease substantially as D' diverges from 1.0 or as f(1) diverges from fA. These analyses suggest that association studies to finely map loci are most powerful if potential functional polymorphisms are identified a priori or if markers are typed to maximize haplotypic diversity. In the absence of such information, expected minimum power at a given location for a given sample size can be calculated by specifying a range of potential frequencies for fA (e.g. 0.1-0.9) and determining power for all markers within the region with specification of the expected D' between the markers and the functional locus. This method is illustrated for a fine-mapping project with 662 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 24 Mb. Regions differed by marker density and allele frequencies. Thus, in some, power was near its theoretical maximum and little additional information is expected from additional markers, while in others, additional markers appear to be necessary. These methods may be useful in the analysis and interpretation of fine-mapping studies.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha (HNF4alpha) gene are associated with type 2 diabetes in Finns and Ashkenazi Jews. Previous studies in both populations have reported linkage to type 2 diabetes near the HNF4alpha locus on chromosome 20q12-13. To investigate whether HNF4alpha is a diabetes susceptibility gene in Pima Indians, a population with the highest reported prevalence of type 2 diabetes but with no evidence for linkage of the disease on chromosome 20q, 19 SNPs across the promoter and coding region of HNF4alpha were genotyped for association analysis. In a group of 1,037 Pima Indians (573 diabetic and 464 nondiabetic subjects), three SNPs in HNF4alpha (rs3212183 and rs2071197 located in introns 3 and 1, respectively, and rs6031558, an extremely rare SNP located in the P2 promoter region) were modestly associated with type 2 diabetes (rs3212183 odds ratio [OR] 1.34 [95% CI 1.07-1.67], P = 0.009; rs2071197 1.34 [1.07-1.66], P = 0.008; and rs6031558 3.18 [1.03-9.84], P = 0.04, adjusted for age, sex, birth year, heritage, and family membership). We conclude that variants in HNF4alpha do not appear to be major determinants for type 2 diabetes in Pima Indians; however, HNF4alpha may have a minor role in type 2 diabetes susceptibility within this Native American population.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma)-2 is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily that is expressed predominantly in adipocytes and is thought to have a role in energy homeostasis, adipogenesis, and insulin sensitivity. A functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that predicts a proline to alanine substitution (Pro12Ala) within the coding region of this gene has previously been associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes in several populations. In this study, we identified several novel SNPs in the promoter region of PPARgamma2 and genotyped them, along with the previously identified Pro12Ala SNP. In 241 nondiabetic Pima subjects, the Pro12Ala was associated with whole-body insulin action (P = 0.05), hepatic insulin action (P = 0.03), and fasting plasma insulin concentrations (P = 0.01). One of the promoter SNPs positioned within a putative E2 box was in high linkage disequilibrium (/D'/ = 0.98) with the Pro12Ala. This promoter SNP was similarly associated with whole-body insulin action (P = 0.04) and hepatic insulin action (P = 0.05), but not fasting plasma insulin concentrations. Functional studies in transfected 3T3-L1 cells demonstrated that this single base substitution in the putative E2 box significantly altered transcriptional activity from a luciferase reporter construct. These data indicate that this promoter SNP, via its effect on PPARgamma2 expression, may also have functional consequences on PPARgamma2-activated pathways, and perhaps both the promoter SNP and the Pro12Ala contribute to PPARgamma2-related phenotypes.

Maternal diabetes during pregnancy is responsible for the occurrence of diabetic embryopathy, a spectrum of birth defects that includes heart abnormalities, neural tube defects, and caudal dysgenesis syndromes. Here, we report that mice transgenic for the homeodomain transcription factor Isl-1 develop profound caudal growth defects that resemble human sacral/caudal agenesis. Isl-1 is normally expressed in the pancreas and is required for pancreas development and endocrine cell differentiation. Aberrant regulation of this pancreatic transcription factor causes increased mesodermal cell death, and the severity of defects is dependent on transgene dosage. Together with the finding that mutation of the pancreatic transcription factor HLXB9 causes sacral agenesis, our results implicate pancreatic transcription factors in the pathogenesis of birth defects associated with diabetes.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1) is a transcriptional coactivator of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and alpha, which play important roles in adipogenesis and lipid metabolism. A single nucleotide polymorphism within the coding region of the PGC-1 gene predicts a glycine to serine substitution at amino acid 482 and has been associated with type 2 diabetes in a Danish population. In this study, we examined whether this Gly482Ser polymorphism is associated with type 2 diabetes or obesity, or metabolic predictors of these diseases, in Pima Indians. There was no association of the Gly482Ser polymorphism with either type 2 diabetes or BMI (n = 984). However, among nondiabetic Pima Indians (n = 183-201), those with the Gly/Gly genotype had a lower mean insulin secretory response to intravenous and oral glucose and a lower mean rate of lipid oxidation (over 24 h in a respiratory chamber) despite a larger mean subcutaneous abdominal adipocyte size and a higher mean plasma free fatty acid concentration. These data indicate that the Gly482Ser missense polymorphism in PGC-1 has metabolic consequences on lipid metabolism that could influence insulin secretion.

Prior results from our genomic scan in Pima Indians indicated an obesity locus in a region on chromosome 11q23-24 that was also linked to diabetes. Bivariate linkage analysis for the combined phenotype "diabesity" gave the strongest evidence for linkage (LOD = 5.2). Our aim is to positionally clone the gene(s) responsible for the linkage. Linkage disequilibrium mapping is being used to narrow the chromosomal region. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are being systematically identified and genotyped at 50-kb intervals across the region of linkage. To date, 455 SNPs have been genotyped in 1229 Pimas. A region containing a cluster of SNPs strongly associated with BMI and a second region, approximately 2 Mb telomeric, containing a cluster of SNPs associated with diabetes have been preliminarily identified.

Normal developmental upregulation of K(Ca) channel activity in cultured rat cerebellar Purkinje neurons was selectively inhibited by antisense oligonucleotide sequence (3 microM) targeted against the rslo transcript. The knockdown was specific; delayed rectifier and apamin-sensitive K+ channel abundances in Purkinje neurons were not affected by rslo antisense. Sense oligonucleotides (3 microM), used as a control, had no effect on channel abundance. Quantitative morphometric analyses of anti-calbindin-labeled Purkinje neurons showed no differences between neurons in control, sense and antisense treatment groups, and confirmed that the presence of the added oligonucleotide in the sense and antisense treatment conditions had no discernable toxic effects on neuronal health, for which neurite outgrowth is a sensitive indicator. These results confirm the identification of the developmentally regulated K(Ca) channel as the product of the gene rslo in cerebellar Purkinje neurons.

The Na(+)/H(+) exchanger (NHE-2) has been implicated in osmoregulation in the kidney, because it transports Na(+) across the cell membrane and efficiently alters intracellular osmolarity. On hyperosmotic stress, NHE-2 mRNA increases in abundance in mouse inner medullary collecting duct (mIMCD-3) cells, suggesting possible transcriptional regulation. To investigate the molecular mechanism of potential transcriptional regulation of NHE-2 by hyperosmolarity, we have functionally characterized the 5'-flanking region of the gene in mIMCD-3 cells. Transient transfection of luciferase reporter gene constructs revealed a novel cis-acting element, which we call OsmoE (osmotic-responsive element, bp -808 to -791, GGGCCAGTTGGCGCTGGG), and a TonE-like element (tonicity-responsive element, bp -1201 to -1189, GCTGGAAAACCGA), which together are shown to be responsible for hyperosmotic induction of the NHE-2 gene. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays suggest that different DNA-protein interactions occur between these two osmotic response elements. However, both DNA sequences were shown to specifically bind nuclear proteins that dramatically increase in abundance under hyperosmotic conditions. Isolation of trans-acting factors and characterization of their specific interaction with these osmotic response elements will further elucidate the transcriptional mechanisms controlling NHE-2 gene expression under hyperosmolar conditions.

Voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels provide a mode of Ca(2+) influx that is essential for intracellular signaling in many cells. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to assess the relative amounts of mRNAs encoding three classes of Ca(2+) channels (alpha1A, alpha1B and alpha1E) during development, in cultures established from prenatal rat cerebellar cortex. Ca(2+) channel transcript levels were standardized to a constitutive marker (cyclophilin). For all three classes of Ca(2+) channels, transcript levels were highest at early stages (4-10 days in vitro) and declined with age. This developmental pattern was differentially regulated by a depolarizing agent, tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA, 1 mM). Chronic depolarization yielded a significant elevation in transcript levels for alpha1B (N-type) and alpha1E (R-type) Ca(2+) channels during neuronal maturation (10-21 days in vitro), but dramatically suppressed transcript levels for the alpha1A (P-type) Ca(2+) channel at all stages of development. The effects of TEA on alpha1A, alpha1B and alpha1E transcript levels were mimicked by increasing external K(+) (from 5 to 10 mM). The regulatory effects of depolarization on transcript levels were dependent on extracellular Ca(2+) for alpha1E but not for alpha1A. For alpha1B, transcript levels depended on extracellular Ca(2+) only for increased K(+) as the depolarizing stimulus, but not for TEA. These results suggest that levels of Ca(2+) channel transcripts in rat cerebellum are developmentally regulated in vitro and can be influenced differentially by transmembrane signaling via chronic depolarization and Ca(2+) entry. Dynamic regulation of Ca(2+) channel expression may be relevant to the different functional roles of Ca(2+) channels and their regional localization within neurons., (Copyright 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.)

To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying NHE-2 regulation in the mammalian kidney and intestine, we cloned and sequenced 5.6 kb of the 5'-flanking region of the rat NHE-2 gene. DNA sequence analysis revealed multiple putative cis-acting regulatory elements including SP1, CK, NFY-CBF, Tant, GCN4, and one progesterone and several retinoic acid response elements. The upstream sequence lacked TATA and CAAT boxes, but contained a high G/C rich region within the first 300 bp. A single transcriptional initiation site was identified by primer extension in rat kidney and small intestine, approximately 103 bp upstream of the previously identified 5'-end of the rat NHE-2 cDNA. Various regions of the promoter (from [-]5567 to [+]105 bp) were tested for their ability to drive expression of the luciferase reporter gene in transiently transfected murine Inner Medullary Collecting Duct (mIMCD-3) cells. Results demonstrated that [-]289, [-]1271 and [-]2630 bp constructs showed promoter activity that was significantly higher than the negative control construct (20-fold). These results also demonstrated that basal cis-acting elements are contained within [-]289 bp of the transcriptional start site. However, the functional activity of the [-]5567 bp construct was not significantly different from the negative control, suggesting that a negative regulatory element may be present between [-]2630 and [-]5567 bp of the promoter region.

X-linked hypophosphatemic (Hyp) rickets is characterized by short stature, rickets, and bone abnormalities. Biochemically, hypophosphatemia and decreased renal reabsorption of phosphate are the hallmark of the disorder. Mutation of the PEX gene has been linked to human and murine Hyp rickets. Our study showed that phenotypical changes of this disease could be detected in 6-wk-old mice, but not in 2-wk-old mice. Therefore, we developed a PCR method to identify Hyp mice by detecting a lack of the 3' region of the PEX gene. Serum inorganic phosphate (Pi) levels were decreased, whereas alkaline phosphatase activity was increased in 2- and 6-wk-old Hyp mice. Northern blot showed that renal Na(+)-Pi transporter mRNA levels were decreased by 2.1-fold (1.47 +/- 0.21 densitometric units for normals; 0.68 +/- 1.43 for Hyp mice; p < 0.040) in 2-wk-old Hyp mice and by 1.7-fold (2.41 +/- 0.42 for normals; 1.44 +/- 0.33 for Hyp mice; p < 0.027) in 6-wk-old mice. Western blot showed that levels of immunoreactive renal Na(+)-Pi transporter protein were decreased by 4.5-fold (0.90 +/- 0.10 for normals; 0.22 +/- 0.08 for Hyp mice; p < 0.001) in 2-wk-old Hyp mice; and by 4.9-fold (1.47 +/- 0.19 for normals; 0.30 +/- 0.09 for Hyp mice; p < 0.0001) in 6-wk-old Hyp mice. In addition, levels of Na(+)-Pi transporter mRNA and protein were increased between 2- and 6-wk-old normal mice, but not in Hyp mice. This study demonstrates an easy assay to detect Hyp mutation and characterizes the defect during ontogeny of the Na(+)-Pi transporter in Hyp mice.

Developmental changes in neuronal excitability reflect the regulated expression of ion channels and receptors. Purkinje neurons of the rat cerebellum progress from slow irregular firing to a fast pacemaker-like pattern during postnatal development in vivo. In this study, a comparable period of development in culture was investigated at the protein level using cell-attached single channel recordings to quantify the abundance of active calcium-dependent (KCa) and delayed rectifier (KD) potassium channels. In control cultures, KCa channel activity increased whereas KD channel activity was not significantly different with developmental age. The increase in active KCa channels was antagonized by chronic treatment with the blocker, tetraethylammonium (TEA, 1 mM), which also retarded the normal development of cellular firing patterns. The consequences of chronic TEA treatment were assessed in cultures after thorough washout of the TEA-containing culture medium. Current clamp analyses (nystatin-perforated patches) showed that control Purkinje neurons progressed from a single spike mode to a repetitive firing mode, with a concomitant decrease in action potential duration and an increase in maximal firing rate. Chronic TEA treatment prevented these changes; Purkinje neurons retained the slow firing rate and long duration action potentials that are typical of the immature state. These data suggest that the developmental increase in KCa channel activity may be required for the maturation of cellular firing patterns in cerebellar Purkinje neurons.