Variants in inflammation-related genes influence the outcomes of physical exercise programs: A longitudinal study in Brazilian adolescents with overweight and obesity.

Abstract

The expansion of adipose tissue, characteristic of obesity, releases inflammatory cytokines, leading to metabolic disorders. Physical activity, on the other hand, promotes fat loss and changes inflammatory profile. This study aimed to investigate the associations of 20 gene variants (TLR2, TLR4, IL1B, IL6, NFKB1, TNF, NFKBIA, NLRC4, CARD8 and NEK7) with anthropometric and biochemical changes induced by physical exercise programs. Thus, 58 children and adolescents participated of the 12-week exercise programs. Parameters were collected before and after programs: body mass index, body fat percentage, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides, total cholesterol, insulin, glucose, HOMA-IR and QUICKI. Changes in these parameters were calculated (final - initial measurements) for subsequent analyses. Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate associations between genotypes and changes in the analyzed parameters. We found associations between 14 variants in nine genes with anthropometrical and biochemical outcomes. Observing the distribution of the sample, the groups of individuals who responded less in relation to body fat and TG levels concentrated the highest scores of polygenic indexes as a result of a greater number of risk variants. In conclusion, some genotypes related to the inflammatory profile provided less favorable anthropometrical and biochemical outcomes in response to physical exercise programs.