title: High prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and lack of association with integrin α2 gene polymorphisms in patients with type 2 diabetes from Northeastern Mexico.
abstract: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the primary causes of blindness in the working age population and is characterized by angiogenesis in the retina. Platelets have been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic microvascular complications. The integrin receptor for collagen/laminin, α2β1, mediates platelet primary adhesion to subendothelial tissues, which is an essential first step in thrombus formation. The gene encoding the α2 subunit of α2β1 integrin has ≥8 polymorphisms, including aBglII/NdeI restriction fragment length polymorphism. To explore the prevalence of DR in a population from Northeastern Mexico, unrelated, hospitalized patients who had received a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) at least 10 years previously were recruited (n=177). DR was diagnosed in a masked manner by independent ophthalmologists using fundus images captured using a non-mydriatic retinal camera. A total of 121 patients with DM2 (68%) had some degree of DR development (DR patients), and 56 patients with DM2 (32%) did not exhibit any sign of DR (No-DR patients). The results showed that after 15 years of DM2 progression, there is an increased risk of DR (P=0.0497; odds ratio, 1.993). In addition, insulin therapy and family history of DM2 were significantly associated with DR. In order to detect a possible association between DR andBglII/NdeI α2 gene polymorphisms, a comparative cross-sectional study between DR and No-DR patients was conducted. The α2 gene was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Statistical analysis revealed no association betweenBglII/NdeI genotypes and the development of DR in this group of patients. In conclusion, the present data indicate a high prevalence of DR in the Mexican population and suggest that the damage in DR is due to other factors, such as the duration of the DM2, and is not linked toBglII/NdeI α2 gene polymorphisms.
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25000, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ana Cecilia
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cepeda-Nieto
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25280, Mexico.
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Esquivel-Contreras
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25000, Mexico.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Duran-Iñiguez
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25000, Mexico.
authors.forename: Mauricio Andrés
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Salinas-Santander
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León 64460, Mexico.
authors.forename: Hugo Leonid
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Gallardo-Blanco
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25000, Mexico.
authors.forename: Sandra Cecilia
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Esparza-González
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25280, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zugasti-Cruz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25280, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jesús Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Morlett-Chávez
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Faculty of Medicine, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila 25000, Mexico.
authors.forename: Luis Tlaloc
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Córdova-Alvelais
keywords: Mexican population; diabetic retinopathy; polymorphism; α2 integrin gene