Aims: The plasma protein growth arrest-specific 6 (Gas6) is important to the inflammatory process and involved in the development of diabetic renal and vascular complications. Recently, Gas6 protein also represents a novel independent risk factor of type 2 diabetes. We further investigated the association of c.843+7G>A Gas6 polymorphism and type 2 diabetes.
Methods: A total of 278 adults, including 96 with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), 82 with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and 100 with type 2 diabetes were recruited. All subjects were genotyped for c.843+7G>A Gas6 polymorphism.
Results: Plasma Gas6 concentrations were significantly lower among patients with type 2 diabetes compared to subjects with IGT and NGT. Subjects with Gas6 c.843+7AA genotype had higher Gas6 levels and lower glucose values than GG genotype. The AA genotype and A allele were less frequent in patients with type 2 diabetes compared with NGT subjects. In univariate analysis, the AA genotype was found to be associated with a decreased risk for type 2 diabetes. Moreover, the association was even stronger after adjustment for established diabetes risk factors.
Conclusions: The Gas6 c.843+7AA genotype and A allele are less prevalent in type 2 diabetes, which may have a protective role for type 2 diabetes.
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