Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Adiponectin is a protein hormone secreted by adipocytes. Its expression is higher in lean than in obese individuals and in women than in men. It inhibits expression of gluconeogenic enzymes and the rate of glucose production. It also stimulates glucose utilization and fatty acids oxidation. Adiponectin is encoded by a highly polymorphic ADIPOQ gene. The −11377C>G, −11391G>A, and −11426A>G ADIPOQ polymorphisms modulate circulating adiponectin level.

Aim of the study: We sought to determine if the C-11377G, G-11391A and the A-11426G promoter polymorphisms in the ADIPOQ gene are associated with the risk of development of DM2.

Materials and methods: Genomic DNA obtained from 189 patients who developed DM2 before the age of 55 years old (119 women, 70 men) and from 414 18–45 years old healthy controls (233 women, 181 men) was analyzed for the presence of the selected ADIPOQ polymorphisms by RFLP method.

Results: We found that the GG genotype of the G-11391A ADIPOQ polymorphism is significantly more frequent in women diagnosed with DM2 than in young healthy women (91.60 vs 83.19%, P=0.026, OR=2.26, 95% CI=1.1–4.63). The frequencies of the C-11377G and A-11426G polymorphisms in DM2 and in healthy women were similar. No significant differences in the frequencies of all tested polymorphisms were detected between DM2 male patients and healthy males.

Conclusion: Our finding is consistent with findings of other authors who showed the correlation of this genotype with obesity, high fasting insulin level, and with insulin resistance. Our finding supports hypothesis that carriers of this genotype are at higher risk of development of DM2 than carriers of other genotypes of the G-11391A ADIPOQ polymorphism.