Chromosomal locus 6q23 is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and related features including insulin secretion in various ethnic populations. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) gene is an interesting T2DM candidate gene in this chromosome region. CTGF is a key mediator of progressive pancreatic fibrosis up-regulated in type 2 diabetes. In contrast,CTGFinactivation in mice compromises islet cell proliferation during embryogenesis. The aim of our study was to investigate an impact ofCTGFgenetic variation on pancreatic beta-cell function and T2DM pathogenesis. We studied the effect of a commonCTGFpolymorphism rs9493150 on the risk of the T2DM development in three independent German cohorts. Specifically, the association betweenCTGFpolymorphism and non-invasive markers of beta-cell area derived from oral glucose tolerance test was studied in subjects without diabetes. Neither in the Metabolic Syndrome Berlin Potsdam (MESYBEPO) study (n= 1026) (OR = 0.637, CI (0.387–1.050);p= 0.077) nor in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Potsdam (EPIC-Potsdam) (n= 3049) cohort (RR = 0.77 CI (0.49–1.20),p= 0.249 for the recessive homozygote in general model), a significant association with increased diabetes risk was observed. The risk allele of rs9493150 had also no effect on markers of beta-cell area in the combined analysis of the MESYBEPO and Tübingen Family Study (n= 1826). In conclusion, the polymorphism rs9493150 in the 5’-untranslated region of theCTGFgene has no association with T2DM risk and surrogate markers of beta-cell area.
A Polymorphism Within the Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) Gene has No Effect on Non-Invasive Markers of Beta-Cell Area and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
