Endothelial nitric oxide synthase genotype and haplotype are not associated with diabetic retinopathy in diabetes type 2 patients.
Polymorphisms in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene have been associated with the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), but not with T2DM. However, no previous study has analyzed combinations of genetic markers (haplotypes), which can be more informative. We studied three eNOS genetic polymorphisms: a single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region (T(-786)C), in exon 7 (Glu298Asp), and a variable number of tandem repeats in intron 4 (b/a) in 103 healthy controls, and in 170 patients with T2DM (without DR, N=114; with DR, N=56). We also examined the association of eNOS gene haplotypes with T2DM and with DR. No differences were found in the frequencies of genotypes and alleles of the three polymorphisms among the three groups of subjects. However, the "C-Glu-b" haplotype was more common in healthy controls (24%) than in T2DM patients (7%) (P=0.0001). Finally, no significant difference in the distribution of eNOS haplotypes frequencies was found when T2DM patients with or without DR were compared (P=0.7372). These findings suggest no association between DR and individual eNOS haplotypes in T2DM patients. The "C-Glu-b" haplotype, however, may have a protective effect against T2DM. Further studies should be conducted to address the molecular basis for such an effect.
de Syllos
Roger W C
RW
Department of Pharmacology, State University of Campinas, 13081-970, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Sandrim
Valeria C
VC
Lisboa
Hugo R K
HR
Tres
Glaucia S
GS
Tanus-Santos
Jose E
JE
D000328:Adult; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III