Next Article in Journal
A Systemic Inflammation Response Score for Prognostic Prediction of Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Surgery
Next Article in Special Issue
Customization of Diet May Promote Exercise and Improve Mental Wellbeing in Mature Adults: The Role of Exercise as a Mediator
Previous Article in Journal
Liquid Biopsy: A New Tool for Overcoming CDKi Resistance Mechanisms in Luminal Metastatic Breast Cancer
Previous Article in Special Issue
The Epidemiology and Genetics of Hyperuricemia and Gout across Major Racial Groups: A Literature Review and Population Genetics Secondary Database Analysis
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

CLOCK Gene Variation Is Associated with the Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome Modulated by Monounsaturated Fatty Acids

1
Department of Food and Nutrition, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Korea
2
Department of Home Economics Education, Korea National University of Education, Cheongju 28173, Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Submission received: 6 April 2021 / Revised: 7 May 2021 / Accepted: 7 May 2021 / Published: 14 May 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Therapy, Personalized Nutrition, and Chronic Disease)

Abstract

:
The circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) gene plays a crucial role in regulating circadian rhythms through its transcription factor gene product. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between CLOCK rs1801260 and the incidence of metabolic syndrome modulated by dietary monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake in Korean adults. Using a dataset from the Ansan-Ansung Cohort Study of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study, 3608 Korean adults were included after an average of nine years of follow-up. Men who were minor allele carriers (G allele) of CLOCK rs1801260 had a 18% higher incidence of metabolic syndrome than non-carriers [hazard ratio (HR), 1.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.00–1.40; p Value = 0.047]. By dichotomizing dietary MUFA intake, we observed that men who were minor allele carriers (G allele) of CLOCK rs1801260 had a 42% increased incidence of metabolic syndrome when dietary MUFA intake was ≤3.5% (HR: 1.42, 95% CI 1.23–1.81; p Value = 0.004). No significant association was found between CLOCK rs1801260 and the incidence of metabolic syndrome modulated by dietary MUFA intake in women. CLOCK polymorphisms affected metabolic syndrome, modulated by dietary MUFA intake in men. These results suggest the significance of CLOCK genes in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and the modulating role of dietary MUFA intake and provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms connecting the circadian system, dietary factors, and metabolic syndrome.

1. Introduction

The transcription factor encoded by the circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) gene is a crucial element of the molecular circadian clock [1]. Energy balance is influenced by this transcription factor, thus impacting metabolic pathways [2]. A large body of evidence suggests that genetic variation in CLOCK is associated with the development of metabolic syndrome and its components [1,3,4]. Mutations in CLOCK genes may be a causal factor for the expression of metabolic syndrome components by altering transcriptional regulation, with CLOCK mutant mice showing impaired glucose tolerance [5]. Disruption of CLOCK genes can lead to impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes in mouse models [6].
Metabolic syndrome is affected by both genetic and dietary factors. CLOCK genetic polymorphisms have been associated with metabolic syndrome, and one of the most studied CLOCK gene polymorphisms at the 3′-untranslated region is rs1801260 [7]. Dietary factors play a key role in the development of metabolic syndrome. Consumption of dietary monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) promotes improved metabolic profiles such as improving insulin sensitivity, maintaining healthy blood lipid profiles and regulating blood glucose levels [8]. However, studies evaluating how CLOCK genetic polymorphisms predispose an individual to metabolic syndrome, and how this relationship is modulated by MUFA, are lacking.
Research investigating the relationship between CLOCK single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the incidence of metabolic syndrome modulated by MUFA intake using a prospective cohort study design is limited, and the role of CLOCK SNPs in metabolic syndrome in Korean adults is unclear. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the association between the common CLOCK SNP rs1801260 and the incidence of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults. Additionally, we assessed the association of CLOCK SNP rs1801260 with the incidence of metabolic syndrome modulated by MUFA intake.

2. Material and Methods

2.1. Study Design and Participants

Data from the Ansan-Ansung Cohort Study of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES), which is an ongoing prospective study conducted by the Korea National Institute of Health, was used for this study [9]. Briefly, the Ansan-Ansung community-based cohort study began in 2001–2002 to examine the dietary and lifestyle factors that affect the incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases in the Korean population. A total of 10,030 adults, aged 40–69 years, who resided in Ansan (urban) and Ansung (rural) were recruited. The participants were followed up bi-annually, and we utilized the follow-up data until 2016.
From the 10,030 participants at baseline examination (2001–2002), participants who did not follow up at least once during the follow-up (n = 912), had no information on metabolic syndrome at baseline (n = 9), had a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome at baseline (n = 2800), had a diagnosis of cancer (n = 156), had no information on dietary information (n = 189), had implausible energy intake (<500 kcal/day or >5000 kcal/day; n = 52), had missing information on confounding variables (n = 74), and had no information on SNP rs1801260 (n = 2230) were excluded, and the final analytic sample was 3608 (1839 men and 1769 women). The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Inha University on 31 January 2020 (IRB No. 2001291A).

2.2. Dietary Assessment

Dietary data were obtained by well-trained interviewers using a 103-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at baseline. In order to assess the usual dietary intake of the Korean adults who participated in the KoGES, this validated FFQ was developed and used [10]. All study participants were asked how often they consumed each food item during the previous 12 months. A total of nine frequency responses, ranging from never or almost never to ≥3 times per day, were collected [10]. The usual intake of foods and nutrients, including MUFA, was calculated by multiplying the frequency of consumption of each food item and nutrient contents for its corresponding food item utilizing a nutrient database (CAN-Pro 2.0) developed by the Korean Nutrition Society [11]. In the present study, MUFA were assessed from FFQ as a percentage contribution from energy (% energy).

2.3. Assessment of Metabolic Syndrome

Diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was carried out according to guidelines of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III [12] and the International Diabetes Federation [13]. New-onset metabolic syndrome was identified based on the presence of three or more of the following conditions: (1) abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥ 90 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women); (2) elevated blood pressure (systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥85 mmHg or antihypertensive drug use or antihypertensive treatment); (3) elevated fasting blood glucose (FBG) ≥ 100 mg/dL or insulin or oral drug therapy; (4) elevated triglyceride levels (fasting triglyceride ≥ 150 mg/dL); and (5) low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels (fasting HDL-cholesterol < 40 mg/dL for men and <50 mg/dL for women). In the survival analysis, survival time for individuals who reported any diagnosis of metabolic syndrome during the follow-up period was defined as the time between the baseline and the date of the new onset of metabolic syndrome. Participants who did not acquire metabolic syndrome were censored at the last date of follow-up examination. Survival time was calculated as the time difference between the baseline and the last follow-up.

2.4. Genotyping and Imputation

Genomic information was obtained from participants’ DNA samples that were isolated from their peripheral blood samples. Genetic data were collected utilizing the Korean Biobank Array (Korean Chip, K-CHIP) through the K-CHIP consortium [14]. K-CHIP, including approximately 833,535 SNPs specific to the Korean population, was designed by the Center for Genome Science, Korea National Institute of Health [14]. For standard quality control procedures, p Value for Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium ≥ 1.0 × 10−6 and call rate ≥ 95% were used [14]. Genetic data were imputed using Shapeit v2 and IMPUTE v2, with the 1,000 Genomes Project phase 3 reference [14].

2.5. Statistical Analyses

Genetic analysis was performed using PLINK (version 1.90 beta, https://www.cog-genomics.org/plink/1.9). All analyses were performed separately for men and women. Study participants were categorized into two groups, according to the median value of the percentage of energy acquired from MUFA intake for men and women, respectively. Baseline sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics of the study participants were computed using Chi-square tests for categorical variables and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for continuous variables. Using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the incidence of metabolic syndrome were estimated using the CLOCK SNP rs1801260 under a dominant genetic model stratified by MUFA intake. The potential covariates that were entered into the model were age (years), area of residence (Ansung, Ansan), education level [elementary school or lower (<7 years of school completed), middle/high school (7–12 years), college or higher (>12 years)], smoking status (never, former smoker, current smoker), alcohol consumption (g/day), physical activity [metabolic equivalent task (MET)-h/week], body mass index (BMI; kg/m2), and family history of diabetes (determined on the basis of self-reports: yes, no). All statistical analyses were performed using SAS software (version 9.4; SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). A two-sided p Value of < 0.05, was considered statistically significant.

3. Results

Briefly, 1658 of the study population had an incidence of metabolic syndrome during an average of nine years of follow-up. Table 1 presents the sociodemographic, clinical, lifestyle, and genetic characteristics of the study participants at baseline. The characteristics of age, insulin level, glucose level, insulin resistance, triglyceride level, HDL cholesterol level, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, BMI, alcohol intake, MET-h/week, region, smoking status, and dietary fat composition all significantly differed by sex (all p Values < 0.0001).
The sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics of the study participants at baseline according to the CLOCK rs1801260 genotype are presented in Table 2. No statistically significant differences were detected in age, insulin level, glucose level, insulin resistance [homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)], triglyceride level, HDL-cholesterol level, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, MET-h/week, region, smoking status, and dietary fat composition between the CLOCK rs1801260 genotypes (AA vs. AG + GG) in men and women, respectively. Men with AA rs1801260 genotype had marginally and significantly higher MET-h/week than those with the AG or GG rs1801260 genotype (p = 0.06).
Table 3 shows the sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics of the study participants at baseline according to the CLOCK rs1801260 genotype and dietary MUFA intake. Dietary MUFA intake was divided by median values: 3.5% of total energy for men and 3% of total energy for women. In men, age, HDL-cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, BMI, alcohol intake, and MET-h/week significantly differed across the rs1801260 genotypes and dietary MUFA intake groups (rs1801260 genotype AA and MUFA ≤ 3.5% of total energy, rs1801260 genotype AA and MUFA > 3.5% of total energy, rs1801260 genotype AG + GG and MUFA ≤ 3.5% of total energy, and rs1801260 genotype AG + GG and MUFA > 3.5% of total energy) (all p Values < 0.05). In women, age, glucose level, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, alcohol intake, and MET-h/week all significantly differed across the rs1801260 genotypes and dietary MUFA intake groups (all p Values < 0.05).
The association between CLOCK rs1801260 polymorphisms and the incidence of metabolic syndrome is presented in Table 4. Men who were G carriers (AG + GG) showed a significantly higher incidence of metabolic syndrome compared to AA homozygous subjects (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.00–1.40; p Value = 0.047) after controlling for age, region, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, family history of type 2 diabetes, and BMI. There was no significant association between the rs1801260 polymorphism and the incidence of metabolic syndrome in women.
We analyzed the modulation of the CLOCK rs1801260 polymorphisms and the incidence of metabolic syndrome stratified by dietary MUFA intake (Table 5). We observed that men who were G carriers (AG + GG) with a MUFA intake ≤ 3.5% of total energy had a significantly higher incidence of metabolic syndrome than men with the AA genotype and MUFA intake > 3.5% of total energy (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.23–1.81; p Value = 0.004) after adjustment for covariates. No significant associations between CLOCK rs1801260 polymorphisms, dietary MUFA intake, and the incidence of metabolic syndrome were observed in women.

4. Discussion

In this prospective cohort study, we observed an association between the minor allele carriers of the G allele (AG + GG) of CLOCK rs1801260 and the incidence of metabolic syndrome in Korean men. Previous findings have reported that CLOCK polymorphisms are associated with metabolic-related biomarkers. Subjects with the major allele had higher insulin sensitivity, lower insulin resistance and lower plasma insulin level compared with subjects who were carriers of the minor allele [3]. Similarly, in a study in which the association of CLOCK polymorphisms with metabolic syndrome was investigated in 1100 participants in the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network study, GG carriers of rs1801260 in the study population had significantly increased BMI, systolic blood pressure, fasting insulin level, and HOMA-IR compared with those with AG or AA genotype [15]. Consistent with previous findings, when the saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake was ≥11.8%, subjects with the rs1801260 GG genotype had significantly higher waist circumference than subjects with the AG or AA genotype [15]. In a cohort study of 356 elderly subjects, elderly individuals with the rs1801260 GG genotype had significantly higher fasting glucose levels than those with the AA or AG genotype [16]. CLOCK rs1801260 was associated with chronotype [17,18], while other studies did not support this association [19,20]. In a population-based sample of 410 normal middle-aged adults, subjects with the G allele of rs1801260 preferred “eveningness” over “morningness” [17]. In middle-aged Korean adults, the evening chronotype was associated with a higher incidence of diabetes and lower lean mass in men [21]. Previous findings suggest that the evening type is associated with a greater risk for sleep curtailment, and a growing body of evidence suggests that poor-quality sleep and sleep curtailment are associated with an increased risk of obesity [22,23,24].
We hypothesized that CLOCK genetic polymorphisms are associated with the incidence of metabolic syndrome modulated by dietary MUFA intake. When stratified by dietary MUFA intake, we found that men with carriers of the minor G allele of rs1801260 (AG + GG) and MUFA ≤ 3.5% of total energy had a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome than those with the major allele of rs1801260 (AA) and MUFA > 3.5%. No significant relationship was found for MUFA > 3.5% of the total energy. Garaulet et al. [15] reported that when MUFA intake was ≥13.2% of the total energy, carriers of the G allele (GG + GC) of rs4580704 had significantly lower plasma glucose concentration and HOMA-IR than non-carriers. When SFA intake was ≥11.8%, minor allele carriers had a larger waist circumference than non-carriers. A protective effect of MUFA on metabolic syndrome, lipid profile, and blood pressure has been reported [8,25,26]. MUFA-rich diets are associated with the inhibition of low-density lipoprotein particle oxidation [27].
Furthermore, dietary MUFA promotes peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, which enhances fatty acid oxidation and inhibits lipogenesis by suppressing sterol regulatory element binding protein, which, in turn, lowers triglyceride levels in blood [28]. Consistent with these findings, in this study, an increasing incidence of metabolic syndrome was found in men with low intake of MUFA and carrying a minor allele of rs1801260. In contrast, no such significant association could be found in women. Further, women with G minor alleles of rs1801260 did not show increased incidence of metabolic syndrome. The lack of associations in women may be partially due to masking effect by other strong risk factors such as decreased estradiol and estrone level in women who were in postmenopausal stage [29] in the present study. Future studies are warranted to elucidate the potential role of sex on the association CLOCK gene polymorphisms and the incidence of metabolic syndrome.
CLOCK rs1801260 polymorphisms have been suggested to be associated with obesity [4,15,30,31,32,33], depression [16] and Parkinson’s disease [34]. Among obese patients, individuals with the G minor alleles of rs1801260 (GG + AG) showed higher BMI values compared with those carrying the major allele (AA), and obese patients with the minor allele of rs1801260 were resistant to losing weight compared to those with the major allele [31]. This suggests that the CLOCK rs1801260 polymorphism is associated with body weight reduction. In school-age girls with the G allele, carriers of rs1801260 showed increased BMI z-scores at baseline and follow-up [30]. Elderly subjects with the minor allele (rs1801260 GG type) had lower scores on the depression geriatric scale, predisposing greater risk for depression [16]. In a Chinese population, CLOCK rs1801260 polymorphism was associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease [34].
This study has several limitations and strengths. The limitation was that this study was conducted on a Korean population, and this finding may not be applicable to other race/ethnicities or populations. Replication studies are warranted to confirm the findings of this study. Despite this limitation, this study has several strengths. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the effect of CLOCK polymorphisms on the incidence of metabolic syndrome modulated by dietary MUFA intake in Korean adults. Second, the study utilized a prospective cohort study design to examine the cause–effect relationship of CLOCK polymorphisms and the incidence of metabolic syndrome modulated by dietary MUFA intake. Lastly, numerous important confounders, such as physical activity, smoking, drinking habits, and BMI were controlled in the present study.
In conclusion, we found an association between the presence of the minor alleles (AG + GG) of CLOCK rs1801260 and low dietary MUFA intake with the incidence of metabolic syndrome in Korean men. The incidence of metabolic syndrome was increased in men who were G carriers (AG + GG) by 42% after adjustment for confounders. These results suggest the significance of CLOCK genes in metabolic syndrome risk and the modulating role of dietary MUFA intake. This provides new insights into the underlying mechanisms connecting the circadian system, dietary factors, and metabolic syndrome.

Author Contributions

D.S. conceptualized the study design, conducted statistical analyses, interpreted the data, wrote the first draft of the manuscript, and revised the manuscript. K.-W.L. interpreted the data, supervised all aspects of the implementation, provided scientific advice, and revised the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (grant No. 2020R1G1A1004940).

Institutional Review Board Statement

The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Inha University on 31 January 2020 (IRB No. 2001291A).

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

The dataset used in this study (Ansan-Ansung Cohort Study of the KoGES) can be provided after review and evaluation of research plan by the Korea National Institute of Health, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://nih.go.kr/contents.es?mid=a50401010400).

Acknowledgments

This study was conducted with biosources from the National Biobank of Korea, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Republic of Korea (KBN-2020-016).

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

References

  1. Turek, F.W.; Joshu, C.; Kohsaka, A.; Lin, E.; Ivanova, G.; McDearmon, E.; Laposky, A.; Losee-Olson, S.; Easton, A.; Jensen, D.R.; et al. Obesity and metabolic syndrome in circadian Clock mutant mice. Science 2005, 308, 1043–1045. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  2. Yang, X.; Downes, M.; Yu, R.T.; Bookout, A.L.; He, W.; Straume, M.; Mangelsdorf, D.J.; Evans, R.M. Nuclear receptor expression links the circadian clock to metabolism. Cell 2006, 126, 801–810. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  3. Garcia-Rios, A.; Gomez-Delgado, F.J.; Garaulet, M.; Alcala-Diaz, J.F.; Delgado-Lista, F.J.; Marin, C.; Rangel-Zuñiga, O.A.; Rodriguez-Cantalejo, F.; Gomez-Luna, P.; Ordovas, J.M.; et al. Beneficial effect of CLOCK gene polymorphism rs1801260 in combination with low-fat diet on insulin metabolism in the patients with metabolic syndrome. Chronobiol. Int. 2014, 31, 401–408. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  4. Scott, E.; Carter, A.; Grant, P. Association between polymorphisms in the Clock gene, obesity and the metabolic syndrome in man. Int. J. Obes. 2008, 32, 658–662. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  5. Rudic, R.D.; McNamara, P.; Curtis, A.M.; Boston, R.C.; Panda, S.; Hogenesch, J.B.; Fitzgerald, G.A. BMAL1 and CLOCK, two essential components of the circadian clock, are involved in glucose homeostasis. PLoS Biol. 2004, 2, e377. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  6. Marcheva, B.; Ramsey, K.M.; Buhr, E.D.; Kobayashi, Y.; Su, H.; Ko, C.H.; Ivanova, G.; Omura, C.; Mo, S.; Vitaterna, M.H.; et al. Disruption of the clock components CLOCK and BMAL1 leads to hypoinsulinaemia and diabetes. Nature 2010, 466, 627–631. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  7. Valladares, M.; Obregón, A.M.; Chaput, J.-P. Association between genetic variants of the clock gene and obesity and sleep duration. J. Physiol. Biochem. 2015, 71, 855–860. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  8. Gillingham, L.G.; Harris-Janz, S.; Jones, P.J.H. Dietary Monounsaturated Fatty Acids Are Protective Against Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors. Lipids 2011, 46, 209–228. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  9. Kim, Y.; Han, B.G. Cohort Profile: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) Consortium. Int. J. Epidemiol. 2017, 46, e20. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  10. Ahn, Y.; Kwon, E.; Shim, J.; Park, M.; Joo, Y.; Kimm, K.; Park, C.; Kim, D. Validation and reproducibility of food frequency questionnaire for Korean genome epidemiologic study. Eur. J. Clin. Nutr. 2007, 61, 1435–1441. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  11. Korean Nutrition Society. Computer Aided Nutritional Analysis Program 4.0 for Professionals; The Korean Nutrition Society: Seoul, Korea, 2011. [Google Scholar]
  12. Expert Panel on Detection E. Executive summary of the third report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) expert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA 2001, 285, 2486–2497. [Google Scholar]
  13. Alberti, K.; Eckel, R.H.; Grundy, S.M.; Zimmet, P.Z.; Cleeman, J.I.; Donato, K.A.; Fruchart, J.-C.; James, W.P.T.; Loria, C.M.; Smith, S.C., Jr. Harmonizing the metabolic syndrome: A joint interim statement of the international diabetes federation task force on epidemiology and prevention; national heart, lung, and blood institute; American heart association; world heart federation; international atherosclerosis society; and international association for the study of obesity. Circulation 2009, 120, 1640–1645. [Google Scholar]
  14. Moon, S.; Kim, Y.J.; Han, S.; Hwang, M.Y.; Shin, D.M.; Park, M.Y.; Lu, Y.; Yoon, K.; Jang, H.-M.; Kim, Y.K. The Korea biobank array: Design and identification of coding variants associated with blood biochemical traits. Sci. Rep. 2019, 9, 1–11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
  15. Garaulet, M.; Lee, Y.C.; Shen, J.; Parnell, L.D.; Arnett, D.K.; Tsai, M.Y.; Lai, C.Q.; Ordovas, J.M. CLOCK genetic variation and metabolic syndrome risk: Modulation by monounsaturated fatty acids. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2009, 90, 1466–1475. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
  16. Pagliai, G.; Sofi, F.; Dinu, M.; Sticchi, E.; Vannetti, F.; Molino Lova, R.; Ordovàs, J.M.; Gori, A.M.; Marcucci, R.; Giusti, B.; et al. CLOCK gene polymorphisms and quality of aging in a cohort of nonagenarians—The MUGELLO Study. Sci. Rep. 2019, 9, 1472. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
  17. Katzenberg, D.; Young, T.; Finn, L.; Lin, L.; King, D.P.; Takahashi, J.S.; Mignot, E. A CLOCK polymorphism associated with human diurnal preference. Sleep 1998, 21, 569–576. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  18. Mishima, K.; Tozawa, T.; Satoh, K.; Saitoh, H.; Mishima, Y. The 3111T/C polymorphism of hClock is associated with evening preference and delayed sleep timing in a Japanese population sample. Am. J. Med. Genet. B Neuropsychiatr. Genet. 2005, 133b, 101–104. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  19. Chang, A.M.; Buch, A.M.; Bradstreet, D.S.; Klements, D.J.; Duffy, J.F. Human diurnal preference and circadian rhythmicity are not associated with the CLOCK 3111C/T gene polymorphism. J. Biol. Rhythms 2011, 26, 276–279. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
  20. Robilliard, D.L.; Archer, S.N.; Arendt, J.; Lockley, S.W.; Hack, L.M.; English, J.; Leger, D.; Smits, M.G.; Williams, A.; Skene, D.J.; et al. The 3111 Clock gene polymorphism is not associated with sleep and circadian rhythmicity in phenotypically characterized human subjects. J. Sleep Res. 2002, 11, 305–312. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  21. Yu, J.H.; Yun, C.H.; Ahn, J.H.; Suh, S.; Cho, H.J.; Lee, S.K.; Yoo, H.J.; Seo, J.A.; Kim, S.G.; Choi, K.M.; et al. Evening chronotype is associated with metabolic disorders and body composition in middle-aged adults. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2015, 100, 1494–1502. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  22. Cappuccio, F.P.; Taggart, F.M.; Kandala, N.B.; Currie, A.; Peile, E.; Stranges, S.; Miller, M.A. Meta-analysis of short sleep duration and obesity in children and adults. Sleep 2008, 31, 619–626. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  23. Patel, S.R.; Hu, F.B. Short sleep duration and weight gain: A systematic review. Obesity 2008, 16, 643–653. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
  24. Chen, X.; Beydoun, M.A.; Wang, Y. Is sleep duration associated with childhood obesity? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity 2008, 16, 265–274. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  25. Erkkilä, A.T.; Matthan, N.R.; Herrington, D.M.; Lichtenstein, A.H. Higher plasma docosahexaenoic acid is associated with reduced progression of coronary atherosclerosis in women with CAD. J. Lipid Res. 2006, 47, 2814–2819. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
  26. Alonso, Á.; Ruiz-Gutierrez, V.; Martínez-González, M.Á. Monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil and blood pressure: Epidemiological, clinical and experimental evidence. Public Health Nutr. 2006, 9, 251–257. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
  27. Lapointe, A.; Couillard, C.; Lemieux, S. Effects of dietary factors on oxidation of low-density lipoprotein particles. J. Nutr. Biochem. 2006, 17, 645–658. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  28. Assy, N.; Nassar, F.; Nasser, G.; Grosovski, M. Olive oil consumption and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. World J. Gastroenterol. WJG 2009, 15, 1809. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  29. De Padua Mansur, A.; Silva, T.C.; Takada, J.Y.; Avakian, S.D.; Strunz, C.M.; Machado César, L.A.; Mendes Aldrighi, J.; Ramires, J.A. Long-term prospective study of the influence of estrone levels on events in postmenopausal women with or at high risk for coronary artery disease. Sci. World J. 2012, 2012, 363595. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  30. Meng, Y.; Lohse, B.; Cunningham-Sabo, L. Sex modifies the association between the CLOCK variant rs1801260 and BMI in school-age children. PLoS ONE 2020, 15, e0236991. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  31. Garaulet, M.; Corbalán, M.D.; Madrid, J.A.; Morales, E.; Baraza, J.C.; Lee, Y.C.; Ordovas, J.M. CLOCK gene is implicated in weight reduction in obese patients participating in a dietary programme based on the Mediterranean diet. Int J. Obes. 2010, 34, 516–523. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
  32. Garaulet, M.; Sánchez-Moreno, C.; Smith, C.E.; Lee, Y.C.; Nicolás, F.; Ordovás, J.M. Ghrelin, sleep reduction and evening preference: Relationships to CLOCK 3111 T/C SNP and weight loss. PLoS ONE 2011, 6, e17435. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
  33. Galbete, C.; Contreras, R.; Martínez, J.A.; Martínez-González, M.Á.; Guillén-Grima, F.; Marti, A. Physical activity and sex modulate obesity risk linked to 3111T/C gene variant of the CLOCK gene in an elderly population: The SUN Project. Chronobiol. Int. 2012, 29, 1397–1404. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  34. Lou, F.; Li, M.; Ren, Y.; Luo, X.-G.; Liu, N.; Li, X. CLOCK rs1801260 polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease in a Chinese population. Neurosci. Bull. 2017, 33, 734–736. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Table 1. Sociodemographic, clinical, lifestyle, and genetic characteristics of the study participants at baseline.
Table 1. Sociodemographic, clinical, lifestyle, and genetic characteristics of the study participants at baseline.
Total (n = 3608)Men (n = 1839)Women (n = 1769)p Value 1
Age (years)50.9 ± 8.751.4 ± 8.850.4 ± 8.6<0.0001
Insulin (µIU/mL)7 ± 4.36.6 ± 3.97.5 ± 4.7<0.0001
Glucose (mg/dL)84.3 ± 15.686.8 ± 17.181.8 ± 13.3<0.0001
HOMA-IR1.5 ± 1.21.4 ± 0.91.5 ± 1.4<0.0001
Triglyceride (mg/dL)134.8 ± 82151.2 ± 99.1117.7 ± 54.2<0.0001
HDL-Cholesterol (mg/dL)47 ± 10.145.7 ± 9.948.3 ± 10.2<0.0001
Waist circumference (cm)79.7 ± 7.681.4 ± 6.777.9 ± 8.1<0.0001
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)116.6 ± 16.6118.6 ± 16.2114.6 ± 16.8<0.0001
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)77.5 ± 10.679.6 ± 10.575.3 ± 10.4<0.0001
BMI (kg/m2)23.7 ± 2.823.5 ± 2.624 ± 2.9<0.0001
Alcohol intake (g/day)9.7 ± 21.417.9 ± 27.21.3 ± 4.6<0.0001
MET-h/week163.7 ± 101.8172 ± 105.3155.1 ± 97.4<0.0001
Region (%)
  Ansung1495 (41.4%)712 (38.7%)783 (44.3%)0.0007
  Ansan2113 (58.6%)1127 (61.3%)986 (55.7%)
Smoking (%)
  None2092 (58.0%)381 (20.7%)1711 (96.7%)<0.0001
  Past596 (16.5%)581 (31.6%)15 (0.9%)
  Current920 (25.5%)877 (47.7%)43 (2.4%)
Dietary fat composition
  Total fat (% of energy)13.3 ± 513.9 ± 4.912.7 ± 5<0.0001
  SFA (% of energy)4.4 ± 24.6 ± 1.94.1 ± 2.1<0.0001
  MUFA (% of energy)3.5 ± 1.73.7 ± 1.73.3 ± 1.7<0.0001
  PUFA (% of energy2.2 ± 0.82.2 ± 0.82.2 ± 0.80.0045
  Total fat (g/day)30.6 ± 1733.1 ± 17.328 ± 16.1<0.0001
  SFA (g/day)10 ± 6.110.9 ± 6.29 ± 5.8<0.0001
  MUFA (g/day)8.1 ± 5.48.9 ± 5.67.3 ± 5<0.0001
  PUFA (g/day)5.1 ± 2.85.3 ± 2.94.8 ± 2.7<0.0001
CLOCK rs1801260 genotype
  AA2909 (80.6%)1484 (80.7%)1425 (80.6%)0.9583
  AG666 (18.5%)339 (18.4%)327 (18.5%)
  GG33 (0.9%)16 (0.9%)17 (0.9%)
HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; MET, metabolic equivalent task; SFA, saturated fatty acid; MUFA, monounsaturated fatty acid; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid. 1 p Values based on t-tests for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables.
Table 2. Sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics of the study participants at baseline according to the CLOCK rs1801260 genotype.
Table 2. Sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics of the study participants at baseline according to the CLOCK rs1801260 genotype.
Men (n = 1839)Women (n = 1769)
CLOCK rs1801260CLOCK rs1801260
AA (n = 1484)AG + GG (n = 355) AA (n = 1425)AG + GG (n = 344)
MeanSDMeanSDp Value 1MeanSDMeanSDp Value 1
Age (years)50.78.450.38.20.49508.249.78.30.62
Insulin (µIU/mL)6.64.16.430.347.34.57.63.50.19
Glucose (mg/dL)87.217.287.719.80.6681.411.382.311.40.21
HOMA-IR1.40.91.40.70.581.50.91.60.80.09
Triglyceride (mg/dL)150101.5148.374.10.72117.455.2117.551.40.98
HDL-Cholesterol (mg/dL)45.79.745.49.70.6348.59.847.910.70.34
Waist circumference (cm)81.46.581.46.80.8577.8877.87.60.99
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)117.515.1118.6150.1911416.1113.6160.62
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)79.310.179.710.20.4575.21074.99.70.60
BMI (kg/m2)23.62.623.62.60.91242.9242.60.94
Alcohol intake (g/day)1825.316.829.90.451.34.61.45.80.83
MET-h/week170.6103.7159.3970.06159.5100.215489.90.32
Region (%)
  Ansung58139.213136.90.4364044.914341.60.26
  Ansan90360.922463.1 78555.120158.4
Smoking (%)
  None30120.38022.50.49137796.633497.10.87
  Past46631.411532.4 120.830.9
  Current71748.316045.1 362.572.0
Dietary fat composition
  Total fat (% of energy)14.14.814.34.70.6812.85.212.64.70.41
  SFA (% of energy)4.71.94.720.564.22.14.11.90.73
  MUFA (% of energy)3.81.73.91.70.413.41.83.31.60.33
  PUFA (% of energy2.30.82.30.80.272.20.82.20.90.53
  Total fat (g/day)33.3173417.10.5428.416.927.814.10.52
  SFA (g/day)116.111.36.40.479.16.19.15.30.86
  MUFA (g/day)95.49.35.80.317.55.37.24.30.32
  PUFA (g/day)5.32.85.52.70.304.92.74.82.90.66
SD, standard deviation; HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; MET, metabolic equivalent task; SFA, saturated fatty acid; MUFA, monounsaturated fatty acid; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid. 1 p Values based on t-tests for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables.
Table 3. Sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics of the study participants at baseline according to the CLOCK rs1801260 genotype and dietary monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake.
Table 3. Sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics of the study participants at baseline according to the CLOCK rs1801260 genotype and dietary monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake.
Men (n = 1839)rs1801260 AA and MUFA ≤ 3.5% of Energy (n = 719)rs1801260 AA and MUFA > 3.5% of Energy (n = 765)rs1801260 AG + GG and MUFA ≤ 3.5% of Energy (n = 154)rs1801260 AG + GG and MUFA > 3.5% of Energy (n = 201)
MeanSDMeanSDMeanSDMeanSDp Value 1
Age (years)52.5 a8.749 b7.851.5 a8.649.4 b7.8<0.0001
Insulin (µIU/mL)6.64.56.63.76.52.96.430.87
Glucose (mg/dL)86.517.287.917.287.119.988.219.70.4
HOMA-IR1.411.40.81.40.71.40.70.97
Triglyceride (mg/dL)154.1113.114689.1154.481143.668.10.29
HDL-Cholesterol (mg/dL)44.9 b9.546.4 a9.746.1 ab10.744.8 b8.80.01
Waist circumference (cm)81 b6.681.7 a6.581.2 ab6.781.6 ab6.90.21
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)118.7 a15.8116.3 b14.3120.3 a14.9117.4 ab150.002
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)79.49.879.110.480.110.379.410.20.71
BMI (kg/m2)23.4 b2.623.9 a2.623.5 ab2.523.7 ab2.70.004
Alcohol intake (g/day)14.8 b21.921.1 a27.819.4 a38.214.7 b21.5<0.0001
MET-h/week 178.7 a106.4163.1 bc100.6154 bc98.5163.4 ab95.80.005
Women (n = 1769)rs1801260 AA and MUFA ≤ 3.5% of energy (n = 696)rs1801260 AA and MUFA > 3.5% of energy (n = 729)rs1801260 AG + GG and MUFA ≤ 3.5% of energy (n = 168)rs1801260 AG + GG and MUFA > 3.5% of energy (n = 176)
MeanSDMeanSDMeanSDMeanSDp Value 1
Age (years)52.3 a8.647.8 b7.152.4 a8.747.2 b7.1<0.0001
Insulin (µIU/mL)7.44.87.24.27.83.77.43.30.58
Glucose (mg/dL)82.1 a13.980.8 b7.981.4 ab8.883.1 a13.40.047
HOMA-IR1.511.40.91.60.81.50.80.35
Triglyceride (mg/dL)120.162.4114.947.2122.445.3112.956.30.12
HDL-Cholesterol (mg/dL)48.39.648.71047.211.248.510.30.37
Waist circumference (cm)78.9 ab8.376.7 c7.579.1 a7.676.5 c7.4<0.0001
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)115.9 a16.9112.3 b15.1115.5 a16.6111.7 b15.1<0.0001
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)76.2 a1074.3 b1075.4 ab9.774.4 ab9.70.003
BMI (kg/m2)24323.92.724.12.523.82.80.77
Alcohol intake (g/day)0.8 c2.61.8 a5.81 b3.61.7 ab7.20.0002
MET-h/week 172.4 a110.4147.3 b87.7168.8 a97.9139.8 b79.2<0.0001
HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance; MET, metabolic equivalent task; SD, standard deviation. 1 p Value based on one-way ANOVA test. abc Bonferroni post hoc test: means with the same letter indicate no significant difference. Any difference between two means carrying different letters is significant (p Value < 0.05).
Table 4. Hazard ratios (HR) 1 for metabolic syndrome depending on the CLOCK rs1801260 genotype.
Table 4. Hazard ratios (HR) 1 for metabolic syndrome depending on the CLOCK rs1801260 genotype.
Person-YearsCases/TotalHR(95% CI)p Value
Men (n = 1839)
rs1801260
AG + GG3463178/3551.18(1.00–1.40)0.047
AA15,069671/14841.00
Women (n = 1769)
rs1801260
AG + GG3553163/3441.13(0.96–1.35)0.15
AA14,991646/14251.00
HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval. 1 Adjusted for age (in years, continuous), region (Ansung, Ansan), smoking (none, past, current), alcohol intake (g/day), metabolic equivalent (MET)-h/week (continuous), family history of type 2 diabetes (yes/no), and BMI (in kg/m2, continuous).
Table 5. Hazard ratios (HR) 1 for metabolic syndrome depending on the CLOCK rs1801260 genotype and dietary monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake.
Table 5. Hazard ratios (HR) 1 for metabolic syndrome depending on the CLOCK rs1801260 genotype and dietary monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake.
Person-YearsCases/TotalHR(95% CI)p Valuep Interaction
Men (n = 1839)
AA and MUFA ≤ 3.5% of energy7175327/7191.07(0.91–1.25)0.400.24
AA and MUFA > 3.5% of energy7894344/7651.00
AG + GG and MUFA ≤ 3.5% of energy140584/1541.42(1.12–1.81)0.004
AG + GG and MUFA > 3.5% of energy205894/2011.09(0.86–1.37)0.48
Women (n = 1769)
AA and MUFA ≤ 3% of energy6984357/6961.01(0.86–1.20)0.860.96
AA and MUFA > 3% of energy8007289/7291.00
AG + GG and MUFA ≤ 3% of energy162590/1681.16(0.91–1.47)0.24
AG + GG and MUFA > 3% of energy192873/1761.13(0.87–1.46)0.36
HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval. 1 Adjusted for age (in years, continuous), region (Ansung, Ansan), smoking (none, past, current), alcohol intake (g/day), metabolic equivalent (MET)-h/week (continuous), family history of type 2 diabetes (yes/no), and BMI (in kg/m2, continuous).
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Shin, D.; Lee, K.-W. CLOCK Gene Variation Is Associated with the Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome Modulated by Monounsaturated Fatty Acids. J. Pers. Med. 2021, 11, 412. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jpm11050412

AMA Style

Shin D, Lee K-W. CLOCK Gene Variation Is Associated with the Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome Modulated by Monounsaturated Fatty Acids. Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2021; 11(5):412. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jpm11050412

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shin, Dayeon, and Kyung-Won Lee. 2021. "CLOCK Gene Variation Is Associated with the Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome Modulated by Monounsaturated Fatty Acids" Journal of Personalized Medicine 11, no. 5: 412. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jpm11050412

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop