Adiponectin gene polymorphisms (T45G and G276T), adiponectin levels and risk for metabolic diseases in an Arab population

In this study we examined the association of adiponectin gene variants with circulating adiponectin, and known metabolic diseases in 298 healthy controls and 297 Saudi subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured by standard procedures. Genotyping of T45G and G276T single nucleotide polymorphisms of adiponectin gene was carried out by PCR-RFLP analysis. No significant differences in the genotype distribution of T45G and G276T polymorphism were found between control and diabetic subjects. Neither SNP conferred an association with T2DM, obesity, hypertension or dyslipidemia. Despite a marked decrease in patients as opposed to controls, adiponectin levels were not different according to genotypes of T45G and G276T polymorphisms in control and patients. Thus, neither adiponectin SNPs independently conferred increased T2DM risk nor in other metabolic conditions considered such as obesity, hypertension or dyslipidemia. These findings support the existence of population based differences in the association of adiponectin gene variants with metabolic phenotypes and emphasize the importance of studying multiple polymorphisms, sufficient enough to identify the adiponectin gene as a genetic marker for several non-chronic communicable diseases.

► No studies done if adiponectin gene variants are linked to disease risk in Saudis.
► Neither T45G and G276T independently conferred any risk to metabolic conditions.
► Study supports ethnicity based differences in adiponectin gene variants.