Statura
L’altezza è una delle caratteristiche fisiche più evidenti di una persona, ma dietro questa semplice misura si cela un tratto complesso, determinato da un equilibrio tra genetica ed ambiente. Variazioni nella statura sono del tutto normali e dipendono da fattori come il sesso, l’età, l’etnia, l’alimentazione e lo stato di salute generale, specialmente durante la crescita.
A livello genetico, si stima che circa l’80% dell’altezza finale di un individuo adulto sia ereditata dai genitori. Centinaia di geni partecipano a questo processo, influenzando la crescita delle ossa, la produzione di ormoni e altri meccanismi biologici. Alcune di queste variazioni genetiche agiscono in modo diretto sullo sviluppo scheletrico, altre influenzano indirettamente, ad esempio regolando la disponibilità di nutrienti o il metabolismo ormonale.
Tuttavia, l’ambiente ha comunque un peso significativo. Una buona alimentazione durante l’infanzia e l’adolescenza, una crescita sana nel grembo materno e l’assenza di malattie debilitanti sono tutti fattori che permettono di esprimere al massimo il potenziale genetico in termini di altezza. Al contrario, carenze nutrizionali, malattie croniche o situazioni di stress socio-economico possono limitare la statura finale, come è stato osservato nei periodi storici segnati da guerre, carestie o diseguaglianze.
Con l’invecchiamento, è normale osservare una leggera diminuzione dell’altezza, dovuta alla perdita di elasticità e volume dei dischi intervertebrali, alla riduzione della massa muscolare e ossea, o a problemi posturali legati all’età.
In definitiva, l’altezza è il risultato di una lunga interazione tra ciò che ereditiamo e ciò che viviamo, e rappresenta un indicatore visibile e misurabile della nostra storia biologica e ambientale.
Numero di varianti osservate
13,5 milioni di varianti
Numero di loci analizzati
1357 loci
Geni analizzati
A3GALT2
AAMDC
ABCA9
ABCB4
ABCB5
ABCC1
ABCC6
ABCE1
ABRACL
ACADL
ACADS
ACAN
ACP1
ACP6
ACVR2A
ADAM11
ADAM17
ADAM28
ADAMTS10
ADAMTS17
ADAMTS2
ADAMTS3
ADAMTS5
ADAMTS6
ADAMTS8
ADAMTSL3
ADAR
ADARB2
ADCY4
ADGRG6
ADGRL1
ADO
ADRB1
AFAP1
AGRN
AK3
AKAP11
AKR1C2
ALG10
ALOXE3
ALPG
ALPP
ANAPC4
ANGPTL7
ANK3
ANKFN1
ANKRD11
ANKRD55
ANKRD9
ANO1
ANP32B
ANPEP
ANTXR1
AOC1
AOPEP
AP1S1
AP3B1
APC
APOC1
APOC2
APOLD1
ARFGAP3
ARHGAP12
ARHGAP18
ARHGAP32
ARHGEF12
ARHGEF40
ARID1B
ARID3B
ARID5B
ARL14EP
ARMS2
ARNTL
ARRDC2
ARRDC3
ARSB
ARSJ
AS3MT
ASB3
ASCL1
ASTN1
ASXL2
ATAD2
ATAD2B
ATF7IP
ATF7-NPFF
ATOH7
ATP1B2
ATP23
ATP5MC1
AXIN2
B3GNT7
B3GNT8
B4GALNT3
BAHCC1
BAK1
BAMBI
BANF2
BBX
BCKDHB
BCL11A
BCL2L11
BCL2L2
BCL6
BLID
BLVRB
BMP2
BMP3
BMP6
BNC2
BNIP1
BNIP3
BNIP3L
BOC
BOD1
BOK
BPNT2
BPTF
BRCA2
BRD1
BRD3
BST2
BSX
BTBD18
BUB3
BYSL
C12orf56
C12orf73
C16orf95
C1orf105
C2orf74
C3orf14
C4orf17
C5orf22
C6orf118
C8orf48
C9
CABLES1
CACUL1
CALD1
CALHM6
CAMKK2
CAMKMT
CAPN1
CASP10
CBFA2T2
CBX1
CBX6
CBX7
CCDC134
CCDC152
CCDC182
CCDC198
CCDC78
CCDC91
CCER2
CCN3
CCND1
CCND2
CCNE1
CCNL1
CCR10
CCT6A
CD164
CD2AP
CD79B
CDC16
CDC42EP3
CDK5RAP1
CDK6
CDKN1C
CDKN2B
CDON
CDPF1
CDS2
CEBPB
CENPE
CENPW
CEP120
CEP57
CEP63
CFAP251
CFAP299
CFAP418
CFAP65
CFDP1
CHCHD3
CHCHD7
CHD8
CHFR
CHGA
CHMP1A
CHRAC1
CHRDL2
CHST3
CHSY1
CHSY3
CILP2
CISH
CITED2
CKB
CLCN7
CLDN20
CLDN22
CMIP
CNIH3
CNNM4
CNOT4
CNPPD1
CNTLN
COG6
COL11A1
COL15A1
COL1A2
COL3A1
COL6A1
COL6A2
COL6A3
COL8A1
COL9A2
COLGALT2
COP1
CORO6
COX6A1
COX6C
COX7A2L
CPED1
CPN2
CPZ
CRACD
CRADD
CREB3L2
CREBBP
CRELD1
CRIM1
CRISPLD1
CRISPLD2
CRNKL1
CRTAP
CRTC3
CSMD1
CSTF2T
CSTF3
CTC1
CTIF
CTNNB1
CTPS1
CTSS
CTSW
CTU2
CUL1
CUL3
CXXC5
CYP11B1
CYP19A1
CYP26A1
CYP26B1
CYP27C1
CYP2R1
CYP3A7
CYRIB
CYTH1
CYTL1
DAG1
DAP
DAPK1
DAZAP2
DCAF17
DCBLD2
DCC
DCPS
DCST1
DCUN1D3
DDAH1
DDC
DDN
DDX51
DENND4A
DENND5B
DERPC
DGKE
DGKI
DICER1
DIP2B
DIPK1B
DKK3
DLEU7
DLG5
DLK1
DLX6
DMP1
DNAAF9
DNASE1L3
DNM3
DOC2A
DOCK3
DOT1L
DPY19L3
DRAM1
DSCC1
DTL
DTNB
DUSP1
DUT
DYSF
E2F7
E4F1
EBF1
ECM2
ECRG4
EDEM3
EDN2
EDNRB
EFCAB1
EFCAB13
EFCAB8
EFEMP1
EFHD1
EIF3G
ELAVL2
ELK3
EMILIN2
EMILIN3
ENKUR
ENPP2
EPB41L2
EPHA2
ERCC6L2
ERF
ERGIC2
ERRFI1
ESR1
ESR2
ETHE1
ETNPPL
ETS1
ETV1
ETV6
EXOSC9
EYA4
EZH2
FAAP20
FADD
FADS1
FAF1
FAM120AOS
FAM133B
FAM204A
FAM210B
FAM98A
FANCC
FANCE
FANK1
FAT4
FBLN5
FBN1
FBP1
FBXO27
FBXW8
FER
FERD3L
FERMT1
FEZ2
FEZF1
FGF18
FGF2
FGFR2
FGFR3
FGFR4
FGFRL1
FHIP1A
FIGN
FILIP1
FLI1
FLNB
FMO5
FN1
FNDC9
FOLH1
FOSL2
FOXC1
FOXD2
FOXF1
FOXK2
FOXL1
FOXO1
FOXO3
FOXP1
FOXP4
FRMD8
FRRS1
FRS2
FRZB
FST
FUBP3
G6PC2
GABPB2
GADD45B
GADD45G
GAL
GALNT17
GAPVD1
GAS1
GAS7
GASK1A
GATAD2A
GCH1
GCKR
GDF5
GET1-SH3BGR
GGACT
GGTA1
GH1
GHR
GHRHR
GHSR
GIGYF2
GIN1
GIPC2
GLCCI1
GLI2
GLI4
GLIS1
GLIS2
GLS
GLT8D2
GLYR1
GMDS
GMNC
GNA12
GNAS
GNPDA2
GNRH1
GNS
GOLGA6A
GOLGA6L4
GOPC
GORASP2
GPC5
GPR21
GPR45
GPX5
GRAMD1B
GRB2
GRID1
GRIFIN
GRK2
GRK5
GSDMC
GSG1
GSX1
GYPA
H1-10
H3C8
H4-16
H4C4
HABP4
HAPLN3
HDAC11
HDAC3
HDHD5
HGFAC
HHIP
HIC1
HIVEP3
HLX
HMCES
HMGA1
HMGA2
HMGN2
HMGXB4
HMHB1
HOXD12
HPCAL1
HS6ST1
HS6ST3
HSD17B3
ICE2
ID4
IDH2
IER2
IFNGR2
IGF1
IGF1R
IGF2
IGF2BP2
IGF2BP3
IGFBP3
IGFBP4
IHH
IL11
IL23A
IL3
ILF3
ILRUN
INO80
INO80C
INSM1
INSR
INTS7
IQCH
IRS1
ISG20
ISM1
ISYNA1
ITGB6
ITGB8
ITM2B
ITPK1
JADE2
JAG1
JARID2
JAZF1
JMJD1C
JMJD4
KBTBD2
KCNE2
KCNE4
KCNJ1
KCNJ12
KCNJ15
KCNJ16
KCNJ2
KCNK5
KCNMA1
KCNMB4
KCNRG
KDM4A
KDM4B
KHNYN
KIAA1614
KIF1A
KIF1B
KLF10
KLF11
KLF2
KLF3
KLF5
KLF6
KLHDC3
KLHL18
KLHL23
KLHL25
KLLN
L3MBTL3
LAMC1
LARGE2
LATS2
LBH
LCOR
LCORL
LDHA
LDLR
LDLRAD4
LEF1
LHPP
LHX3
LIF
LILRB5
LIMD1
LIMK1
LIN28A
LIN28B
LIN7B
LITAFD
LLPH
LMF1
LMO1
LOX
LOXL1
LOXL4
LPAR1
LPIN1
LPP
LRCH1
LRP1
LRP1B
LRP5
LRRC37A
LRRC37B
LRRC45
LRRC52
LRRC66
LRRK1
LRTM1
LSAMP
LSM3
LTBP1
LTBP2
LTBP4
LUM
LUZP1
LYPLAL1
LYSMD4
LYZL1
LYZL2
MAF
MAFB
MALSU1
MAMSTR
MANSC4
MAP2K2
MAP2K6
MAP4
MAPK9
MAPKBP1
MARK3
MATN1
MATN3
MAX
MBNL1
MC4R
MCMBP
MCTP2
MEAF6
MECOM
MED13
MED13L
MEF2C
MEGF9
MEOX2
MEP1B
MEPE
MFAP2
MGMT
MIA2
MICOS10
MINAR2
MKLN1
MKRN1
MKRN2OS
MLPH
MLST8
MMAB
MMP14
MN1
MORC3
MOS
MOXD1
MPHOSPH6
MRC2
MRLN
MRPL23
MRPL28
MRPL4
MRPL44
MRPS11
MRPS31
MRPS34
MRTFB
MSH3
MSL2
MSRB3
MTBP
MTIF2
MTMR11
MUSK
MXD3
MYBL2
MYC
MYCN
MYEOV
MYH7
MYL3
MYL7
MYMK
MYO1F
N4BP2L2
N6AMT1
NACA2
NASP
NAT14
NAV3
NBL1
NBPF9
NCAPG
NCKIPSD
NCL
NCOR2
NEDD1
NEIL2
NEK4
NEURL4
NFATC1
NFATC4
NFE2L3
NFIB
NFIL3
NIPBL
NKIRAS1
NKX2-1
NKX3-2
NME2
NME5
NME8
NOCT
NOG
NOS3
NOSIP
NOX4
NPC2
NPFF
NPM2
NPPC
NPR3
NPVF
NR0B2
NR2E3
NR2F2
NR3C1
NR4A2
NR5A2
NTAN1
NUB1
NUCKS1
NUDT16L1
NUDT6
ODF2L
ODF3
OGFR
OGFRL1
OPTN
OR13J1
OR4C13
OR4D9
OR5AN1
ORM1
OS9
OSR1
OSTN
OTUD1
PABPN1
PAFAH1B1
PANK3
PAPLN
PAPPA
PAPPA2
PARD3
PARP11
PARP12
PAX9
PCBP1
PCDHB14
PCGF5
PCMTD2
PCOLCE2
PCP4
PCSK1
PCSK5
PCSK6
PDE10A
PDE2A
PDE3A
PDE5A
PDE6A
PDE7B
PDE8A
PDGFA
PDIK1L
PDLIM4
PDPN
PEF1
PELI2
PEX2
PGP
PGPEP1L
PGS1
PHC3
PHF21A
PHGDH
PIEZO1
PIK3R1
PITX1
PKD1
PKN2
PLA2G6
PLAG1
PLCD3
PLCG1
PLCG2
PLCL1
PLEC
PLEKHG4
PLOD2
PLPP1
PLPP3
PLPPR1
PLXNC1
PM20D2
PMCH
PMFBP1
PNMA8C
PNPLA1
PNPT1
POLD3
POLDIP2
POLR1F
POLR3E
POMC
POU1F1
POU3F3
POU5F1B
PPIF
PPM1B
PPP1R3B
PPP1R3C
PPP2R5A
PPP3CC
PPP3R1
PRDM13
PRIM1
PRKG1
PRKG2
PRL
PRMT8
PROSER2
PROSER3
PROZ
PRPF38A
PRRX1
PRSS3
PRTFDC1
PSMB3
PSMD2
PSME1
PSTPIP1
PTCH1
PTHLH
PTP4A2
PTPN1
PTPN14
PTPN9
PTPRG
PTPRM
PTRHD1
PVALEF
PXDN
QKI
QSOX2
R3HCC1
RAB18
RAB28
RAB2B
RAB3C
RAB3GAP1
RABGAP1L
RAD18
RAD23B
RAD51B
RALGAPA1
RALGPS1
RAP1B
RAPSN
RASA2
RASGRP3
RASSF8
RAVER2
RBL2
RBM34
RBM39
RCAN2
RCBTB1
REST
REV1
RFK
RFT1
RFX2
RGMA
RGS3
RHOH
RIBC2
RILPL2
RIMKLB
RMI1
RNF135
RNF144B
RNF181
RORA
RORB
RPL3
RPL34
RPL5
RPLP1
RPS13
RPS20
RPS21
RRAS2
RREB1
RSBN1L
RSPO3
RSRC1
RTL1
RTP2
RUNX2
RUNX3
RYBP
RYK
SALL1
SAMD9
SATB2
SAXO1
SBF2
SCAND1
SCARA3
SCARF2
SCIN
SCX
SDC1
SDCCAG8
SDHA
SDR16C5
SEC16A
SEC22A
SEMA3D
SEMA4A
SENP2
SENP6
SENP8
SEPTIN4
SERGEF
SERPINA1
SERPINE2
SERPINF1
SERPINH1
SETBP1
SETD9
SF3A3
SF3B4
SFMBT2
SFRP1
SFRP4
SH2B2
SH2B3
SH2D4A
SH2D5
SH3PXD2A
SHMT1
SIK3
SIM2
SIX1
SIX3
SKI
SKP2
SLC10A6
SLC15A1
SLC16A6
SLC16A7
SLC16A9
SLC1A2
SLC1A7
SLC22A3
SLC22A4
SLC22A5
SLC25A33
SLC25A37
SLC26A7
SLC27A6
SLC29A4
SLC2A9
SLC35D1
SLC35G6
SLC38A1
SLC38A2
SLC38A4
SLC39A8
SLC45A1
SLC45A4
SLC5A12
SLC66A3
SLC6A12
SLC6A6
SLC7A1
SLC8A3
SLC9A4
SLCO1C1
SLCO4C1
SLF2
SLFNL1
SLITRK6
SMAD2
SMAD3
SMAD6
SMAD7
SMAD9
SMARCA5
SMG7
SMIM18
SMIM23
SMIM24
SMIM29
SMLR1
SMOC1
SMOC2
SMOX
SMURF2
SNAI1
SNAP91
SNED1
SNX11
SNX13
SOCS2
SOCS5
SORBS2
SOST
SOX11
SOX5
SOX9
SP3
SPAAR
SPACA6
SPAG17
SPAG6
SPATA17
SPATA31C2
SPATA31D1
SPC24
SPDYE21
SPG7
SPIN1
SPRED1
SPRED2
SPRY1
SPRY2
SPRYD3
SPRYD7
SPSB1
SPTY2D1
SRBD1
SREBF1
SREK1IP1
SRSF7
SSBP3
SSR1
SSTR2
SSTR5
ST3GAL1
STARD13
STAU1
STC2
STK25
STOML1
STOX1
STPG4
STRA8
STX1A
SUCLG2
SUFU
SULF1
SUMO1
SUSD5
SYMPK
SYNE1
SYNGR2
SYT13
SYTL2
TACR3
TADA2B
TARS1
TASOR
TBC1D31
TBX15
TBX18
TBX2
TBX20
TBXT
TC2N
TCF4
TCFL5
TCP11
TDG
TEAD1
TEDC1
TEFM
TEKT4
TENM2
TENT2
TENT4A
TENT5A
TET1
TET2
TEX37
TGFB2
TGFB3
TGFBR2
TGFBR3
THBS2
THOC1
THRAP3
TICRR
TIGAR
TIGIT
TIMM22
TIMP2
TIMP3
TIPARP
TLDC2
TLE1
TLE3
TLR5
TMBIM1
TMBIM4
TMC3
TMCO5A
TMED7
TMEM106B
TMEM106C
TMEM115
TMEM129
TMEM165
TMEM181
TMEM204
TMEM229A
TMEM263
TMEM270
TMEM38B
TNC
TNFAIP8L3
TNFSF12
TNP1
TNPO1
TNRC6A
TNS1
TOP2B
TP53I13
TPCN2
TPRG1
TPSG1
TRA2B
TRAM2
TRANK1
TREH
TRIB1
TRIL
TRIM13
TRIM32
TRIM48
TRIM7
TRIOBP
TRMT44
TRMT9B
TRPC4AP
TRPS1
TSEN15
TTBK2
TTC13
TTC28
TTC30A
TTLL12
TULP4
TUT7
TWIST1
TWIST2
TXN
TXNDC5
UBE2D2
UBE2E2
UBE3D
UBP1
UCN2
UFSP1
UHRF1
UPK1A
UQCC2
USE1
USP10
USP24
USP25
USP3
UTP23
UTS2B
UVSSA
VGLL2
VGLL4
VIL1
VILL
VPS13C
VSIG10L2
VXN
WASHC3
WDR19
WDR5
WDR75
WDR81
WNT10A
WNT2B
WNT3
WNT4
WNT5A
WNT7A
WNT7B
WRAP53
WWOX
WWP2
XPO4
XRN2
YWHAB
ZAR1
ZBED6
ZBTB18
ZBTB2
ZBTB20
ZBTB26
ZBTB38
ZBTB42
ZBTB48
ZC3H14
ZC3HC1
ZCCHC24
ZCCHC8
ZDHHC7
ZFAT
ZFHX3
ZFP1
ZFP36L2
ZIC1
ZKSCAN3
ZMIZ1
ZNF169
ZNF318
ZNF354C
ZNF423
ZNF462
ZNF483
ZNF484
ZNF518A
ZNF521
ZNF536
ZNF557
ZNF585A
ZNF608
ZNF638
ZNF652
ZNF687
ZNF703
ZNF799
ZNF827
ZNF831
ZNF844
ZNF92
ZNHIT6
ZRANB1
ZRANB2
ZSCAN16
ZSWIM1
ZZEF1
Bibliografia
UK Biobank Database. Standing height, Data-Field 50 [Version Feb-2022]
National Library of Medicine (NIH). Is height determined by genetics? [Jun 2020]
Grunauer M, Jorge AAL. Genetic short stature. Growth Horm IGF Res. 2018 Feb;38:29-33
Jelenkovic A, et al. Genetic and environmental influences on height from infancy to early adulthood: An individual-based pooled analysis of 45 twin cohorts. Sci Rep. 2016 Jun 23;6:28496.