A multi-cohort study of polymorphisms in the GH/IGF axis and physical capability: the HALCyon Programme

Alfred, T. et al. (2012) A multi-cohort study of polymorphisms in the GH/IGF axis and physical capability: the HALCyon Programme. PLoS ONE, 7(1), e29883. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029883)

Abstract

<p><b>Background</b>: Low muscle mass and function have been associated with poorer indicators of physical capability in older people, which are in-turn associated with increased mortality rates. The growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor (GH/IGF) axis is involved in muscle function and genetic variants in genes in the axis may influence measures of physical capability.</p> <p><b>Methods</b> :As part of the Healthy Ageing across the Life Course (HALCyon) programme, men and women from seven UK cohorts aged between 52 and 90 years old were genotyped for six polymorphisms: rs35767 (IGF1), rs7127900 (IGF2), rs2854744 (IGFBP3), rs2943641 (IRS1), rs2665802 (GH1) and the exon-3 deletion of GHR. The polymorphisms have previously been robustly associated with age-related traits or are potentially functional. Meta-analysis was used to pool within-study genotypic effects of the associations between the polymorphisms and four measures of physical capability: grip strength, timed walk or get up and go, chair rises and standing balance.</p> <p><b>Results</b>: Few important associations were observed among the several tests. We found evidence that rs2665802 in GH1 was associated with inability to balance for 5 s (pooled odds ratio per minor allele = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.82–0.98, p-value = 0.01, n = 10,748), after adjusting for age and sex. We found no evidence for other associations between the polymorphisms and physical capability traits.</p> <p><b>Conclusion</b>: Our findings do not provide evidence for a substantial influence of these common polymorphisms in the GH/IGF axis on objectively measured physical capability levels in older adults.</p>

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Shiels, Professor Paul
• Authors: Alfred, T., Ben-Shlomo, Y., Cooper, R., Hardy, R., Gaunt, T.R., Gunnell, D., Harris, S.E., Kumari, M., Martin, R.M., Sayer, A.A., Starr, J.M., Kuh, D., Day, I.N.M., and The HALCyon study team,
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cancer Sciences
• Journal Name: PLoS ONE
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• ISSN (Online): 1932-6203
• Published Online: 10 January 2012
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2012 The Authors
• First Published: First published in PLoS ONE 7(1):e29883
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher