Association study of the rs46522 polymorphism in UBE2Z and rs7903146 polymorphism in TCF7L2 gene with T2DM in Arab population of Khuzestan province: case-control study

Background: The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) has been increasing rapidly. Transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) has been found to has a strong role in the pathogenesis of T2DM. This gene codes an important transcription factors in the Wnt signaling pathway which secrets in pancreatic β-cells and other tissues. Significant associations have been showed between rs7903146 and T2D risk in nearly all populations. Also many loci such as UBE2Z rs46522 that is affecting by TCF7L2 transcription factor have been found associated with T2D. Our objective was to explore whether mentioned SNPs are associated with the risk of T2D among our Arab population of Khuzestan.

Methods: We performed a case-control study using 100 T2D patients (WHO criteria), and 97 controls (age > 30; with FBS ≥126 mg/dl) of Arab people of Khuzestan province. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP and was confirmed by direct sequencing. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 16.0.

Results: No significant difference in genotype frequencies was observed between the T2DM patients and normoglycemic controls. The rs7903146 (C/T) poly¬morphism odds ratios for CC and TC genotypes were 1.75 (95% CI, 0.63 to - 4.88; p= 0.28) and 0.94 (95% CI, 0.49 to - 1.79; p= 0.84) compared with the TT genotype, respectively. The rs46522 (C/T) poly-morphism odds ratios for TT and TC genotypes were 1.41 (95% CI, 0.58 to - 3.42; p= 0.45) and 1.22 (95% CI, 0.64 to - 2.35; p= 0.54) compared with the CC genotype, respectively.

Conclusion: Our study indicates no association of T2D in Arab population of Khuzestan province with the rs7903146 and rs46522 and rs46522 variants.