Lactase Deficiency in Russia: Multiethnic Genetic Study

Abstract

Abstract Background Lactase persistence — the ability to digest lactose through adulthood — is closely related to evolutionary adaptations and has affected many populations since the beginning of cattle breeding. Nevertheless, the contrast initial phenotype, lactase non-persistence or adult lactase deficiency, is still affecting large numbers of people worldwide. Methods We performed the largest multiethnic genetic study of lactase deficiency on 24439 people in Russia to date. The percent of each population group was estimated according to the local ancestry inference results. Additionally, we calculated frequencies of rs4988235 GG genotype in Russian regions using the information of current location and birthplace data in client’s questionnaire. Results It turned out that among all studied population groups the frequency of GG genotype in rs4988235 was higher than in average in the European populations. In particular, the prevalence of lactase deficiency genotype in the East Slavs group was 42.8% (95% CI: 42.1–43.4%). We also investigated the regional prevalence of lactase deficiency by current place of residence. Conclusions Our study emphasizes the diagnostic significance of genetic testing, i.e. specifically for lactose intolerance parameter, as well as the scale of the problem of lactase deficiency in Russia which needs to be addressed by healthcare and food industry.