World J Mens Health.  2018 Jan;36(1):73-78. 10.5534/wjmh.17029.

Positive Correlation between Androgen Receptor CAG Repeat Length and Metabolic Syndrome in a Korean Male Population

• Kim JW
• Bae YD
• Ahn ST
• Kim JW
• Kim JJ
• Moon DG

• KMID: 2399174
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.17029

Abstract

PURPOSE
In epidemiological studies, there are various associations of androgen receptor (AR) CAG with several diseases or phenotypes. However, the relationship between CAG repeat length and metabolic syndrome (MS) remains unclear, especially in Asian populations. This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between AR CAG repeat length polymorphism and MS in a Korean male population.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We explored the relationship between AR CAG repeat length polymorphism and MS in a Korean male population (n=337) from 2013 to 2014. AR CAG repeat were determined by microsatellite fragment sizing. Components of MS and laboratory data (lipid profile, fasting glucose, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)) were analyzed with AR CAG repeat length.
RESULTS
The mean AR CAG repeat length was 22.3±4.7. Sixty-nine men (20.5%) were diagnosed with MS. Men with MS showed significantly longer AR CAG repeat lengths compared with men without MS (26.2 vs. 21.4, p < 0.001). With increasing CAG repeat, the number of components meeting the NCEP criteria increased significantly. AR CAG repeat length was associated significantly with high density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride, and HbA1c levels. In the multivariate analysis, CAG repeat length, waist circumference, and levels of HDL were independently associated with MS. (odds ratio (OR)=1.37, 1.19 and 0.90, p < 0.001, 0.045, and 0.001, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
AR CAG repeat length was associated with MS and laboratory test results, such as those for HDL, triglycerides, and HbA1c, in Korean males. Longer CAG repeat length was identified as a risk factor for MS in Korean males.

Keyword

Metabolic syndrome; Receptors, androgen; Trinucleotide repeats

MeSH Terms

Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Epidemiologic Studies
Fasting
Glucose
Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated
Humans
Lipoproteins
Male*
Microsatellite Repeats
Multivariate Analysis
Phenotype
Receptors, Androgen*
Risk Factors
Triglycerides
Trinucleotide Repeats
Waist Circumference
Glucose
Lipoproteins
Receptors, Androgen
Triglycerides

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Distribution of the number of androgen receptor CAG repeats in our population.

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  Fig. 2 Association and correlation analysis between androgen receptor CAG repeat length and metabolic syndrome. As the CAG repeat length increased, the number of components from the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP) criteria increased significantly (R2=0.119, p=0.001).

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  Fig. 3 Androgen receptor CAG repeat length showed a significant association with high density lipoprotein (HDL) (r=−0.244, p<0.001), triglyceride (r=0.276, p<0.001), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r=0.201, p<0.001) levels.

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