Common variants in the CRP gene are associated with serum C-reactive protein levels and body mass index in healthy individuals in Mexico

Variants in the C-reactive protein (CRP) gene have been found to be associated with various phenotypic traits. We evaluated the effect of four SNPs in the CRP gene on serum levels of protein and body mass index (BMI) in 150 unrelated Mexican subjects from 18 to 25 years old, without hypertension, non-overweight, and without inflammatory diseases, non-smoking and non-consumers of alcohol. Subjects were measured for BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, and serum glucose and triglycerides. The identification of SNPs was performed by PCR-RFLP. Three of the four SNPs were associated with variation in serum levels of CRP, increased in TT (rs1130864) and GG (rs2794521) genotypes, and decreased in the AA genotype of rs1205. The TT genotype was associated with a significant increase in BMI (β = 1.1 kg/m(2), P = 0.04). Two haplotypes were significantly associated with increased serum levels of CRP, but not with BMI. We conclude that variation in the CRP gene affects serum protein levels.