The C609T variant of NQO1 is associated with carotid artery plaques in patients with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
Atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes has been linked to oxidative stress. NADP[1]:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) plays a key role in cellular antioxidant defense. Recent reports suggest that highly expressed and inducible endogenous NQO1 from cardiovascular cells may act as a potential superoxide scavenger. We examined the relationship between the risk of NQO1 C609T polymorphism and carotid artery atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
We recruited 601 (Seoul set) and 233 (Koyang set) unrelated patients with type 2 diabetes from independent groups. The C609T variant of NQO1 was genotyped by Taqman RT-PCR. Mean and maximum carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid artery plaques were measured by high-resolution ultrasonography.


RESULTS
Patients with the T allele exhibited a higher prevalence of atherosclerotic plaques than non-T allele carriers in both sets (Seoul set vs. Koyang set, p=0.021, p=0.023, respectively). After adjusting for age, sex, duration of diabetes, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, current smoking, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HbA1c, subjects with the T allele had a significantly higher risk of carotid artery plaques (Seoul set vs. Koyang set, OR=1.65, p=0.015; OR=2.00, p=0.037, respectively) than subjects with the CC genotype.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the C609T polymorphism of NQO1 is associated with carotid artery plaques in type 2 diabetic patients.
Han
Seung Jin
SJ
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
Kang
Eun Seok
ES
Kim
Hyeong Jin
HJ
Kim
So Hun
SH
Chun
Sung Wan
SW
Ahn
Chul Woo
CW
Cha
Bong Soo
BS
Nam
Moonsuk
M
Lee
Hyun Chul
HC
D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology
D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); C447479:NQO1 protein, human