Abstract
Abdominal obesity coupled with polygenic hereditary defects is considered the initial event in the development of metabolic syndrome (MS). The purpose of this study was to analyse the frequency with which polymorphic loci of adiponectin (ADIPOQ) and leptin (LEP) genes occur in patients with MS and the association between the symptoms of MS and these polymorphisms. DNA was isolated from the whole blood of 207 patients with MS and 100 healthy individuals (control group) using the phenol-chloroform method. Gene polymorphisms were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The most common variant of the ADIPOQ (rs2241766) gene among MS patients was the GT genotype. The A allele of the LEP (rs7799039) gene was found to be the most frequent in MS patients. The highest systolic blood pressure was found in carriers of the GG genotype of the LEP (rs7799039) gene. The carriers of the ADIPOQ (rs2241766) GT genotype were associated with the highest systolic blood pressure and body mass index (BMI); carriers of the ADIPOQ (rs2241766) GG genotype were associated with the highest diastolic blood pressure, hyperglycaemia, and elevated glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The results of this study allowed us to establish the unique gene variants associated with the risk of developing MS in the Crimean population.