Possible Correlation Between Non-Insulin Dependant Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) of the 5′-Flanking Region of Insulin Gene in Korean Diabetic Population

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) is a new and precise method for the detection of the disease on the molecular level. The genetic background of Non-insulin dependant diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) has been strongly suggested, but its occurrences are obvious for other expession factors. We first investigated insulin gene polymorphism in twenty-nine Korea NIDDM patients and 11 non-diabetic controls. We found 91 percent and 86 percent of the genotype 1/1 in diabetics and controls respectively. Also genotype 1/3 was found 9 percent and 14 percent each in both groups. Genotype 3/3 revealed 0 percent in two groups. Four acromegalics who had secondary DM showed only genotype 1/1. These findings showed that class 3 allele(2.4 kb) was a weak genetic marker of NIDDM, and had a faint correlation.