Aim: Our study was aimed to study the distributional characteristics of fibronectin (Fn) Msp iv polymorphism in Chinese Han Population and investigate its association with susceptibility and clinicopathologic features of diabetic nephropathy (DN).
Methods: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were applied to testify Fn Msp iv genotypes among 108 patients with DN and 86 healthy individuals. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the association of Fn Msp iv polymorphism and onset risk and clinicopathologic stages of DN.
Results: The comparison of genotype and allele distribution in normal, micro and massive proteinuria groups showed that genotype and allele distribution in massive proteinuria group showed great differences, compared with those of control group (P=0.006, P=0.004). Further analysis on the association of Fn Msp iv polymorphism and occurrence of abnormal proteinuria suggested that DD genotype and D allele appeared to be a risk factor for abnormal proteinuria (OR=3.553, 95% CI=1.278-9.875; OR=2.442, 95% CI=1.378-4.327). Then, we analyzed the effects of Fn Msp iv polymorphism on the clinicopathologic stages of DN, the result showed that DD genotype showed great effect on the occurrence of early-onset DN (OR=7.500, 95% CI=1.691-33.272). For the DN patients with D allele, the risk for early-onset DN was increased 3.445 folds (OR=4.445, 95% CI=1.869-33.10.574).
Conclusion: Fn Msp iv polymorphism appeared to be associated with DN susceptibility.
Keywords: Diabetic nephropathy; fibronectin; polymorphism; susceptibility.