Novel association between the nonsynonymous A803G polymorphism of the N-acetyltransferase 2 gene and impaired glucose homeostasis in obese children and adolescents

Background: The N-acetyltransferase 2 ( NAT2 ) A803G polymorphism has been associated with decreased insulin sensitivity in a large adult population with the A allele associated with insulin-resistance-related traits. Objective: Evaluate the association of this polymorphism with anthropometric and metabolic parameters in obese children and adolescents. Subjects: A total of 748 obese children and adolescents were enrolled. Methods: Anthropometric and laboratory data were collected. During oral glucose tolerance test, the presence of a possible exaggerated plasma glucose excursion at 1h (1HPG) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was considered. Homeostasis model assessment, oral disposition index (oDI) and insulinogenic index (IDI) were calculated. Patients were genotyped for the NAT2 A803G polymorphism. Results: The prevalence of both IGT and elevated-1HPG was higher in children carrying the A803 allele (P=.02 and P=.03). Moreover, this allele was associated with both oDI and IGI reduction (P=.01). No differences among the NAT2 A803G genotypes for the other parameters were shown. Children homozygous for the A allele presented an odds ratio (OR), to show IGT of 4.9 (P=.01). Children both homozygous and heterozygous for the A allele had higher risk to show elevated-1HPG (OR of 2.7, P=.005; and OR=2.3, P=.005) compared with patients homozygous for the NAT2 803G allele. Conclusions: NAT2 A803 allele seems to play a role in worsening the destiny of obese children carrying it, predisposing them to elevated-1HPG and IGT and then to a possible future type 2 diabetes mellitus throughout an impairment of pancreatic β-cellular insulin secretion as suggested by oDI and IGI reduction.