Genes within the major histocompatibility complex predict NIDDM in African-American women in Alabama.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that genes within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and, subsequently, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in African-American women.


METHODS
African-American women who presented with GDM were compared with pregnant African-American control subjects. Following pregnancy, GDM patients were assessed at various intervals of time (median = 6 years) to determine whether they had developed diabetes.


RESULTS
GDM patients who required insulin during pregnancy possessed a significantly higher frequency of A33, DR2, DR9, and BF-S phenotypes than control subjects. GDM patients who subsequently developed NIDDM had a significantly higher frequency of B41, DR2, and BF-S and a lower frequency of DR1 and DR6 phenotypes than control subjects. Even after controlling for age and body mass index, B41 and DR2 were independent predictors of developing insulin-requiring GDM and NIDDM in GDM subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that either one or more genes within the MHC are involved in the etiology of NIDDM.
Acton
R T
RT
Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Roseman
J M
JM
Bell
D S
DS
Goldenberg
R L
RL
Tseng
M L
ML
Vanichanan
C
C
Harman
L A
LA
Go
R C
RC
D000407:Alabama; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D001741:Black or African American
D006680:HLA Antigens; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; C088036:HLA-B67 antigen