The TCF7L2 rs7903146 (C/T) polymorphism is associated with risk to type 2 diabetes mellitus in Southern-Brazil.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the rs7903146 (C/T) polymorphism in the TCF7L2 gene and type 2 diabetes mellitus, in a Southern-Brazilian population.

Materials and methods: The TCF7L2 rs7903146 polymorphism was genotyped in 953 type 2 diabetic patients and 535 non-diabetic subjects. All subjects were white. The polymorphism was genotyped by Real-Time PCR using TaqMan MGB probes (Life Technologies). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for additive, recessive and dominant inheritance models.

Results: Genotype and allele frequencies of the rs7903146 polymorphism differed significantly between type 2 diabetic patients and non-diabetic subjects (P = 0.001 and P = 0.0001, respectively). The frequency of the minor allele was 38% in type 2 diabetes group and 31% in non-diabetic subjects, and this allele was significantly associated with type 2 diabetes risk (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.15 - 1.76 for the dominant model of inheritance). Moreover, the T/T genotype was associated with a higher risk for type 2 diabetes (OR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.3-2.5) than the presence of only one copy of the T allele (OR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.1-1.6). Both results were adjusted for age and gender.

Conclusions: Our results confirm the association between the TCF7L2 rs7903146 polymorphism and increase risk for type 2 diabetes in Southern-Brazil.