The DG10S478 Variant in the TCF7L2 Gene is not Associated with Microvascular Complications in Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

The DG10S478 variant in the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene is a tetranucleotide repeat with six alleles. Alleles 0, 8 and 12 were found to account for 98% of chromosomes in population based controls. The composite allele X (non zero) has been associated with type 2 diabetes while allele 0 (no insertion) was described as protective. However, no data exist about the influence of DG10S478 variants on manifestation of diabetes and development of diabetic complications. 250 patients with type 2 diabetes were tested for the DG10S478 allele X and its association with diabetic complications, age at diagnosis of diabetes and BMI. Allele 0 was found in 42.4% of the examined patients, 45.2% of the participants were found to be heterozygous and 12.4% homozygous for the composite allele X. The correlation of allele X with the age at diagnosis of diabetes was not significant. There was also no association of allele X with retinopathy, nephropathy or neuropathy. Only the correlation with BMI was statistically significant. The DG10S478 variant seems to have no influence on manifestation of diabetes and the development of microvascular complications.