Variants of NLRP3 gene are associated with insulin resistance in Chinese Han population with type-2 diabetes

• Association of NLRP3 SNPs with T2DM was evaluated in Chinese Han population.
• rs10754558 GG genotype and G allele associate with increased T2DM susceptibility.
• rs10754558 GG genotype is associated with more prone to insulin resistance.

AimsNod like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) is the best characterized member of nod like receptor family. Recent studies suggest that NLRP3 plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of type-2 diabetes (T2DM), and variants in NLRP3 affect its mRNA stability and expression. Therefore, we hypothesize that the variants in NLRP3 gene may contribute to T2DM susceptibility. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association of NLRP3 SNPs with T2DM in Chinese Han patients.MethodsTwo common variants in NLRP3 gene, rs10754558 and rs4612666, were detected using the polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism procedure in 952 unrelated T2DM patients and 871 healthy controls. All participants were unrelated Chinese Hans.ResultsThe GG genotype and G allele frequencies of rs10754558 were significantly higher in T2DM patients than those in controls (for GG genotype, 19.6% vs. 14.5%, p = 0.019; for G allele, 43.9% vs. 39.8%, p = 0.013). The GG genotype of rs10754558 was significantly associated with higher LDL-C levels and more prone to insulin resistance, as evaluated by HOMA-IR or QUICK indexes.ConclusionsThe variant (rs10754558) in NLRP3 is related to insulin resistance and increased risk of T2DM in Chinese Han population.