title: Fas, Fas Ligand, and vitamin D Receptor FokI gene polymorphisms in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus in the Aegean region of Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several gene polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with the risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Among them, the human leukocyte antigen locus is the strongest genetic determinant. To identify additional genetic markers, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the Fas, Fas ligand (FasL), and vitamin D receptor (VDR) FokI gene polymorphisms and the susceptibility to type 1 diabetes in the Aegean region of Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-five patients with type 1 diabetes and 80 healthy controls were included in this study. The Fas -670A/G, FasL -843C/T, and VDR FokI gene polymorphisms were evaluated using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The evaluation of the Fas genotype and the gene allele frequency did not show statistically significant differences between the patient and control group. Distribution of the FasL genotype differed significantly between patients and controls. The distribution of the VDR FokI genotype and allele frequencies differed significantly between the patients and controls. Individuals with type 1 diabetes presented less commonly with the FokI f allele.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the FasL -843C/T and VDR FokI gene polymorphisms are associated with type 1 diabetes in the Agean region of Turkey; however, the Fas -670A/G gene polymorphism is not.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism Disease, Ege University Medical School, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. serapbaydur@gmail.com
authors.forename: Serap Baydur
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Sevki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cetinkalp
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.forename: Candeger
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Afig
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berdeli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific / Q000378:metabolism; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014421:Turkey; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C491901:FAS protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D019014:fas Receptor; C035042:endodeoxyribonuclease FokI; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific