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A Longitudinal Genetic Study of Uric Acid and Liver Enzymes in Adolescent Twins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Rita P. S. Middelberg ,
Sarah E. Medland ,
Nicholas G. Martin  and
John B. Whitfield
Rita P. S. Middelberg*
Affiliation:
Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. rita.middelberg@qimr.edu.au
Sarah E. Medland
Affiliation:
Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia; Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics,Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond,Virginia, United States of America.
Nicholas G. Martin
Affiliation:
Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia.
John B. Whitfield
Affiliation:
Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia; Biochemistry Department, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
*
*Address for correspondence: Rita P. S. Middelberg, Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, PO Royal Brisbane Hospital, Queensland 4029, Australia.

Abstract

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Biochemical traits such as plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) and uric acid are associated with obesity, and with risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Each is subject to genetic influences, but little is known about changes in genetic and environmental influences on these traits over time. We investigated the contribution of genetic and environmental influences to variation in these biochemical traits in adolescent twins and their nontwin siblings from 965 twin families. Twins were studied at ages 12, 14 and 16 years. Multivariate genetic models that included effects of age and sex were fitted to determine whether the same or different genetic or environmental factors influence each trait at different ages. Results showed that the genetic factors influencing AST, ALT, GGT and uric acid change over time during adolescence, and that the magnitude of these effects differs between males and females. The nonshared environment effects were generally time specific. There are developmental changes in genes affecting these traits during adolescence.

Type
Articles
Information
Twin Research and Human Genetics , Volume 10 , Issue 5 , 01 October 2007 , pp. 757 - 764
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007