Association between polygenic risk score and zinc status of adolescents, adults, and elderly individuals with insulin resistance: a gene-nutrient analysis in a population-based study

• Grant number: 23/03023-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2023
• Effective date (End): October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nutrition - Nutrition Biochemistry
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Macedo Rogero
• Grantee: Graziela Biude Silva Duarte
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/05125-7 - Lifestyle, biochemical and genetic markers as cardiometabolic risk factors: Health Survey in São Paulo City, AP.TEM

Abstract

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in genes related to Zn metabolism are associated with metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes. Zinc (Zn) acts in insulin metabolism and changes in the signaling pathway of this hormone can trigger a deficiency of this mineral. The isolated analysis of SNPs may not be enough to investigate the risk of diseases or nutritional deficiencies, and the construction of a polygenic risk score (PRS) represents a robust tool to assess the interaction of several SNPs in this context. This proposal aims to evaluate whether a PRS is associated with biomarkers of Zn status and insulin resistance (IR) in adolescents, adults, and elderly participants in a population-based study in São Paulo city. This cross-sectional study includes 901 participants (291 adolescents [12 to 19 years], 302 adults [20 to 59 years], and 308 elderly people [e 60 years]) from the second stage of the ISA-Nutrição 2015. A PRS will be elaborated for each group from 16 SNPs related to Zn metabolism and glycemic control. As biomarkers of Zn nutritional status, food intake and serum concentration will be evaluated, and a cutoff point for serum Zn will be determined for each group. Anthropometric, fasting blood glucose, plasma insulin, and lipid profile data will also be used. The IR classification will be performed by the HOMA-IR index. The visceral adiposity index (VAI) will be calculated. For statistical analyses, tests of mean, correlations, and multivariate regression models will be performed. The significance level for statistical tests will be 5% (p<0.05). This proposal aims to generate robust and unpublished data about the influence of genetic variability on Zn status in the context of IR in a Brazilian population.