Page 63 - GPD-4-3

Gene & Protein in Disease

PERSPECTIVE ARTICLE
Genetic pleiotropy between birth weight and

adipose tissue regulation in determining the risk
of childhood obesity

2,3
Gianvincenzo Zuccotti 1,2 and Valeria Calcaterra *
1 Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of
Milano, Milano, Italy
2 Department of Pediatric, Buzzi Children’s Hospital, Milano, Italy
3 Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of
Pavia, Pavia, Italy

Abstract

Although obesity primarily stems from an imbalance between energy intake and
expenditure, recent research over the past years has highlighted the role of various
other contributing factors, including fetal growth and birth weight. Although the link
between birth weight and adult body mass index remains unclear, some genomic
alterations are thought to influence both fetal growth and post-natal body mass.
Specifically, potential involvement of gene variants and epigenetic modifications
*Corresponding author: associated with both birth weight and adipose tissue regulation could be proposed,
Valeria Calcaterra suggesting that a genetic pleiotropy may modify growth efficiency during the
(valeria.calcaterra@unipv.it) fetal stage, contributing to the development of diseases later in life and serving
Citation: Zuccotti G, Calcaterra V. as a link between birth weight and obesity. Given the dual role of the insulin-like
Genetic pleiotropy between growth factor 1/insulin axis, insulin-like growth factor 2, and peroxisome proliferator-
birth weight and adipose tissue
regulation in determining the risk of activated receptors in fetal growth and adipogenesis, the potential involvement of
childhood obesity. a pleiotropic genetic effect in the relationship between birth weight and obesity
Gene Protein Dis. warrants further consideration. Understanding the genetic interplay between birth
2025;4(3):025070011.
doi: 10.36922/GPD025070011 weight and adipose tissue regulation offers valuable insights into the developmental
origins of childhood obesity. These findings highlight the critical importance of
Received: February 10, 2025
prioritizing both maternal and fetal health during pregnancy. Future research should
1st revised: March 26, 2025 aim to integrate genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors to develop early,
2nd revised: April 23, 2025 targeted interventions for high-risk populations, ultimately helping to alleviate the
global obesity burden.
Accepted: May 6, 2025
Published online: May 28, 2025
Keywords: Birth weight; Fetal growth; Adipose tissue; Adipogenesis; Childhood obesity
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution
License, permitting distribution, 1. Introduction
and reproduction in any medium,
1,2
provided the original work is Obesity and related health issues have risen sharply in recent decades. A particularly
properly cited. alarming trend is the rise in obesity among children, leading to conditions that were once
3,4
Publisher’s Note: AccScience primarily seen in adults. In 2022, the World Health Organization reported that overweight
Publishing remains neutral with affected 37 million children under 5 and 390 million aged 5 – 19, including 160 million with
regard to jurisdictional claims in 1-4
published maps and institutional obesity. As reported by the World Health Organization Europe report on the “Childhood
affiliations. Obesity Surveillance Initiative,” in the European Region, one in three children suffers

Volume 4 Issue 3 (2025) 1 doi: 10.36922/GPD025070011