Polymorphisms in the Uncoupling Protein 2 Gene Are Associated with Diabetic Retinopathy in Han Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Abstract

The uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) gene plays an important role in the complications of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the association between variants in the UCP2 gene and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Han Chinese T2D patients remains unclear. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) [rs659366 (-866G/A) and a 45-bp insertion/deletion (I/D) in the 3'-UTR] in the UCP2 gene were genotyped in a study cohort of 209 T2D patients with DR and 199 T2D patients without DR by direct DNA sequencing. Logistic regression analysis showed that the AA and GA genotypes of rs659366 were significantly associated with an increased risk for nonproliferative DR (NPDR) in the codominant model (corrected p-value <0.01) and the dominant model (corrected p-value = 0.006). Patients harboring the II and DI genotypes had a higher risk for PDR in the codominant model (corrected p-value = 0.011) and the dominant model (corrected p-value = 0.006), and the DI genotype showed a higher risk for NPDR in the dominant model (corrected p-value = 0.007) or codominant model (corrected p-value = 0.006). Further, haplotype analyses verified that the A-I haplotype is a risk haplotype for NPDR and PDR. This study suggests that the UCP2 gene may be involved in the pathogenesis of NPDR and PDR in Han Chinese patients with T2D.