Association of the Genetic Polymorphisms in Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors-γ2 with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Interaction with Obesity Status in Emirati Population

Background. Transcription factor 7-like 2 gene (TCF7L2) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-γ2 (PPAR-γ2) have a profound effect on the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and had previously been found to be associated with T2DM risk in various ppopulations. However, studies in the Arab population are inconsistent. We conducted a case control study to confirm the association of variants rs10885409 of TCF7L2 and Pro12Ala (rs1801282) of PPAR-γ2 with risk of T2DM and related complications in Emirati population of Arab origin. We also investigated the interaction of these associations with obesity status. Methods. DNA was extracted from the saliva samples of 272 T2DM patients and 216 nondiabetic Emiratis. Genotyping for rs10885409 (TCF7L2) and rs1801282 (PPAR-γ2 P12A) variants was accomplished with a TaqMan assay. The subgroups were constituted according to obesity status. Results. In the nonobese group, the rs10885409 C allele in the recessive model was significantly associated with the incidence of T2DM (OR 1.975 [95% CI 1.127–3.461], P = 0.017), but this association was not observed in the obese group or when BMI was not considered. PPAR-γ2 risk allele Pro12 frequency (0.96) was similar in the groups tested and more than 90% population was homozygous for this allele. Conclusions. Our case-control study is the first of its kind in Emiratis which establishes TCF7L2 rs10885409 C allele as a T2DM risk factor in Emiratis and this association is modulated by obesity status. We also confirmed that Pro12Ala mutation in PPAR-γ2 is not associated with T2DM risk in this population.