Association between polymorphisms in genes related to common adult diseases and fetal growth.

A close relationship between size at birth and occurrence of common adult diseases has been reported. As an explanation of this relationship, it has been hypothesized that the thrifty genotypes cause changes in growth efficiency during fetal period and diseases in later life. In the present study, we examined the association of fetal growth with genetic polymorphisms within the IGF2-INS-TH region and in the G protein gene. Analysis of the genes in the IGF2-INS-TH region suggests that thrifty genotype has the effect of accelerating fetal growth, but at the same time a genomic imprinting mechanism is also involved. Analysis of the G protein β3 subunit gene unveiled that the 825T allele in the mother may exert influence on fetal metabolic environment. By extending the analysis to other genomic regions related to common adult diseases using the same technique, the detailed role of genetic polymorphisms may be elucidated.