title: Association of 18bp insertion/deletion polymorphism, at -2549 position of VEGF gene, with diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients of North Indian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent multifunctional cytokine which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic micro-vascular complications. Human VEGF gene is said to be highly polymorphic. Insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the 18 bp fragment at -2549 position of the promoter region in VEGF gene is said to be of particular interest. The study was aimed to evaluate association of Insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the 18 bp fragment at -2549 position of the promoter region in VEGF gene, with diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross sectional study enrolled 40 subjects each of diabetic nephropathy (DN), diabetes mellitus without nephropathy (DM) and normal control subjects. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes. Genotyping of the VEGF gene insertion/ deletion (I/D) polymorphism was done by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. The frequency of VEGF alleles and genotype distribution were compared in diabetic nephropathy, uncomplicated diabetic and control groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DD genotype and D allele were found to be significantly associated with DN group (p = 0.009 and 0.02 respectively) in comparison to DM group. Also DD genotype conferred significant risk of diabetic nephropathy in DM group (OR = 4.2) (against combined frequency of ID and II genotype) so does D allele 2.09 (against I allele).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DD genotype and D allele in I/D polymorphism at -2549 position of VEGF gene is associated with increased susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy in north Indian population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Maulana Azad Medical College and associated hospitals, New Delhi, 110002 India.
authors.forename: Dnyanesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amle
authors.affiliation: PRINCE FAHD BIN SULTAN RESEARCH CHAIR, Division of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, 71491 Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Rashid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mir
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Maulana Azad Medical College and associated hospitals, New Delhi, 110002 India.
authors.forename: Alka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khaneja
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Maulana Azad Medical College and associated hospitals, New Delhi, 110002 India.
authors.forename: Sarita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College and associated Hospitals, New Delhi, 110002 India.
authors.forename: Ravinder
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahlawat
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Maulana Azad Medical College and associated hospitals, New Delhi, 110002 India.
authors.forename: Prakash C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Maulana Azad Medical College and associated hospitals, New Delhi, 110002 India.
authors.forename: Alpana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saxena
keywords: Diabetic nephropathy; Polymorphism; VEGF