Association study of the rs12255372 and rs290487 polymorphisms in the TCF7L2 gene with type 2 diabetes in Arab ethnic of Khuzestan province

Background TCF7L2 gene encodes a transcription factor that plays an important role in the Wnt signaling pathway. In this pathway TCF7L2 protein induces transcription of genes involved in glucose homeostasis, such as intestinal proglucagon. The aim of present study was to investigate the association of rs12255372, and rs290487 polymorphisms of TCF7L2 with T2DM in Arab ethnic of Khuzestan province in Iran.
Methods 100 patients with T2D and 97 normoglycemic subjects were included in this study. The PCR-RFLP and TETRA ARMS- PCR technique, subsequently validated by direct sequencing, was used for genotyping.
Results A significant difference in TT genotype was observed between two groups patient and control (OR=4.12, 95%CI=1.55-10.55, P=0.005). Also T allele frequencies of rs12255372 was different in the groups (0R=1.69, 95%CI=1.12-2.53, p=0.02). No allelic or genotypic association with T2D was detected for rs290487.
Conclusion Our finding suggest that TT genotypes rs12255372 confers an increased risk of developing T2D. The rs290487 is unlikely an influential variant with type 2 diabetes in this population.