Functional variation in VEGF is not associated with type 2 diabetes in a United Kingdom Caucasian population.
BACKGROUND
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is important for pancreatic beta cell development and function. Common variation in the VEGF gene is associated with altered serum concentrations of VEGF and with several diseases, but its role in type 2 diabetes is not known. The single nucleotide polymorphisms C-2578A (rs699947), G-1154A (rs1570360) and G-634C (rs2010963) in the 5'-region of VEGF are associated with altered serum concentrations of the protein.


OBJECTIVE
We performed a large case-control and family-based study to test the hypothesis that these variants are associated with type 2 diabetes in a UK Caucasian population.


METHODS
We genotyped 1,969 cases, 1,625 controls and 530 families for the three single nucleotide polymorphisms.


METHODS
Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between cases and controls. Family-based analysis was used to test for over- or under-transmission of alleles to affected offspring.


RESULTS
Despite good power (80%) to detect odds ratios of approximately 1.2, there were no significant associations between single alleles or genotypes and type 2 diabetes. Odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals) comparing case and control allele frequencies for single nucleotide polymorphisms C-2578A, G-1154A and G-634C were 0.97 (0.88-1.07), 0.99 (0.90-1.09) and 0.97 (0.88-1.08), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first large-scale study to examine the association between common functional variation in VEGF and type 2 diabetes risk. We have found no evidence that these three single nucleotide polymorphisms, shown previously to alter VEGF concentrations, are risk factors for type 2 diabetes in a large UK Caucasian case-control and family-based study.
Freathy
Rachel M
RM
Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Peninsula Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom.
Weedon
Michael N
MN
Shields
Beverley
B
Hitman
Graham A
GA
Walker
Mark
M
McCarthy
Mark I
MI
Hattersley
Andrew T
AT
Frayling
Timothy M
TM