Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 −2518 polymorphism is not associated with diabetic retinopathy in Japanese type 2 diabetes

Abstract

To clarify whether polymorphism of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were related to diabetic retinopathy (DR), we performed a case–control study in 175 Japanese type 2 diabetic patients participating in a multi-center research protocol. Genetic analysis was performed using a fluorescent allele-specific DNA primer assay system. DR was diagnosed in a masked manner by an independent ophthalmologist using fundus photographs and was classified as non-diabetic retinopathy (NDR), non-proliferative retinopathy (NPDR), and proliferative retinopathy (PDR). The results showed that the genotype frequencies of the MCP-1 gene at position −2518 were not significantly different among patients with NDR, NPDR and PDR. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that significant associations were observed between DR and age, diabetes duration, systolic pressure, and HbA 1c, but not polymorphisms of the MCP-1 gene at position −2518. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated no association between polymorphism of MCP-1 gene at position −2518 and DR in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients.