Association of resistin gene polymorphisms with insulin resistance in Egyptian obese patients

BackgroundObesity associated insulin resistance is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Resistin is recently reported to provide a link between obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. We aimed to investigate the possible associations of resistin gene (RETN) polymorphisms with obesity, and to detect whether these polymorphisms are associated with glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus in obese patients.MethodsOne hundred and forty-five Egyptian obese patients with or without glucose intolerance and 155 unrelated healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Polymorphisms of RETN + 299G>A and RETN –420 C>G gene were detected by polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Serum resistin was measured by ELISA.ResultsRETN + 299 AA and RETN − 420 GG genotypes were significantly associated with obesity in Egyptian population. Moreover, the mutant alleles or genotypes of both examined polymorphisms were associated with impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus compared to normal glucose tolerant obese patients. Furthermore, our results revealed elevated waist/hip ratio, BMI, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose level, HOMA-IR, triglycerides, total cholesterol, resistin level, and decreased HDL cholesterol level in homozygote mutant genotypes carriers of both RETN polymorphisms among obese patients.ConclusionResistin gene polymorphisms may play an important role in pathogenesis and susceptibility to obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Egyptian population.

► Obese patients had a significant higher prevalence of RETN + 299 AA genotype.
► Obese patients had a significant higher prevalence of RETN − 420 GG genotype.
► Both RETN polymorphisms genotypes and mutant alleles had a higher risk of diabetes.
► RETN + 299 AA and RETN − 420 GG genotypes had higher level of serum resistin.
► RETN gene polymorphisms may play an important role in susceptibility to obesity.