Increased Inflammation and Cardiometabolic Risk in Individuals with Low Copy Numbers.

Lower copy number variations (CNVs) in the salivary amylase gene () have been associated with obesity and insulin resistance; however, the relationship between and cardiometabolic risk has not been fully elucidated. Using gold-standard measures, we aimed to examine whether CNVs are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in an overweight or obese, otherwise healthy population. Fifty-seven adults (58% male) aged 31.17 ± 8.44 years with a body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m² were included in the study. We measured CNVs (qPCR); anthropometry (BMI; body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry); cardiovascular parameters (blood pressure, serum lipids by ELISA); insulin sensitivity (hyperinsulinaemic⁻euglycaemic clamp), insulin secretion (intravenous glucose tolerance test), and serum inflammation markers (multiplex assays). Based on previous studies and median values, participants were divided into low (≤4) and high (>4) CNV groups. Low carriers ( = 29) had a higher fat mass (40.76 ± 12.11 versus 33.33 ± 8.50 kg, = 0.009) and LDL-cholesterol (3.27 ± 0.80 versus 2.87 ± 0.69 mmol/L, = 0.038), and higher serum levels of interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1β, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) (all < 0.05) compared with high carriers ( = 28), but there were no differences in glycaemic measures, including insulin sensitivity or secretion (all > 0.1). Except for MCP-1, the results remained significant in multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, and fat mass (all < 0.05). Our findings suggest that low CNVs are associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk and inflammation, but not glucose metabolism, in overweight or obese adults.