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The SREBF-1 locus is associated with type 2 diabetes and plasma adiponectin levels in a middle-aged Austrian population

International Journal of Obesity volume 31, pages 1099–1103 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Context:

The sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) is a transcription factor involved in the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Objective:

We aimed to confirm associations of the SREBF-1 gene with T2DM in an Austrian population and to study possible associations with diabetes-related quantitative traits.

Design, settings and participants:

We genotyped a diabetic cohort (n=446) along with a control group (n=1524) for a common C/G variation that is located in exon 18c (rs2297508) and has been associated with obesity and T2DM in French populations.

Main outcome measures:

Body mass index (BMI), indices of insulin sensitivity and β-cell function, plasma adiponectin, T2DM and single-nucleotide polymorphism rs2297508.

Results:

Genotype distributions associated with rs2297508 differed by T2DM status (P=0.0045), but not by BMI. The variant G allele was associated with a modest, but significant, increase in the prevalence of T2DM after adjustment for age, sex and BMI (G/G: odds ratios (OR) (95% confidence intervals)=1.45 (0.99–2.11) and G/C: OR=1.37 (1.04–1.81)). In a cross-sectional population of non-diabetic subjects, associations of rs2297508 genotypes with plasma adiponectin levels adjusted for age, sex and BMI (P=0.0017) were observed in that the risk G/G genotype displayed the lowest adiponectin levels.

Conclusions:

We observed associations of rs2297508 with T2DM prevalence and plasma adiponectin. SREBP-1c has been implicated in the regulation of adiponectin gene expression. Our results therefore raise the possibility that sequence variations at the SREBF-1 gene locus might contribute to T2DM risk, at least in part, by altering circulating adiponectin levels.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Project No. 10678 and 10932), the Medizinische Forschungsgesellschaft Salzburg and a grant from the Land Salzburg.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Paracelsus Private Medical University, Salzburg, Austria

    T K Felder, H Oberkofler & W Patsch

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria

    R Weitgasser & B Paulweber

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia

    V Mackevics

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus, Hallein, Hallein, Austria

    F Krempler

Authors
  1. T K Felder
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  2. H Oberkofler
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  3. R Weitgasser
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  4. V Mackevics
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  5. F Krempler
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  6. B Paulweber
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  7. W Patsch
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Correspondence to H Oberkofler.

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Felder, T., Oberkofler, H., Weitgasser, R. et al. The SREBF-1 locus is associated with type 2 diabetes and plasma adiponectin levels in a middle-aged Austrian population. Int J Obes 31, 1099–1103 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803505

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