Abstract
BACKGROUND: Type-2 diabetes (T2D) is a multifactorial disease characterised by the severity of its complications. In addition to traditional risk factors, many emerging factors are now described as certain genetic polymorphisms. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the place of G894T polymorphism of the eNOS gene as a new risk factor for T2D. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was carried out at the Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with the Department of Endocrinology. We conducted a case-control study including a group of patients with T2D and a group of non-diabetic controls. The patient group included 100 T2D participants, who were hospitalised in the Endocrinology Department and whose age ≥18 years old. The control group included 100 non-diabetic participants in good health, receiving no treatment and whose age ≥18 years old. This latter group were recruited from medical staff and volunteers. Questioning was conducted for each patient and control to fill-in a clinical information sheet. For each patient and control we sought G894T polymorphism of the eNOS gene by PCR-RFLP technique. The statistical analysis of the collected data was analysed using an SPSS statistical software version 19.0 RESULTS: We studied 69 patients with T2D and 71 healthy controls. The mean age of the T2D group was 51.41±6.484. Patients with an age <40 year-old represent 4% (n=3). Patients with an age >60 years-old represent 32% (n=22). The frequency of GT mutant heterozygous genotype in the diabetic group (55.07%); (n=38) was significantly higher compared to the control group (19.72%); (n=14); (p<10–3). The mutant homozygous genotype TT was rare. The study of the allelic frequency showed a statistically significant increase of the T allele in the T2D group (27.53%); (n=19) compared to the control group (11.27%); (n=8); (p<10–3) with an OR=4.495 (95% CI: 2.14 to 2.231). CONCLUSION: G894T polymorphism of the eNOS gene may be related to the development of T2D among Tunisians. Further studies involving larger and varied populations would be of great value to confirm the correlation between G894T polymorphism of the eNOS gene and T2D. REFERENCES AND/OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: 1. Ghanassia P, Ghanassia E. Endocrinologie diabétologie nutrition2012(6th ed.). Paris:Vernazobres-Grego. No conflict of interest