Resistin polymorphisms are associated with cerebrovascular disease in Finnish Type 2 diabetic patients

Aims Resistin is a hormone secreted by adipocytes and it is also expressed in monocytes. Resistin has been found to increase insulin resistance, a key feature in Type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether resistin polymorphisms are associated with Type 2 diabetes and its clinical characteristics. Methods We studied the allele and genotype frequencies of the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) -420 (C > G), +157 (T > C) and +299 (G > A) in the resistin gene in 258 Finnish Type 2 diabetics and 494 controls. Results These three markers were in significant linkage disequilibrium with each other. No significant (P < 0.05) differences in the allele or genotype frequencies were observed between the study groups. Subjects with Type 2 diabetes showed a significant association between cerebrovascular disease and the SNPs -420 (P = 0.004) and +299 (P = 0.007), the G-G and A-A genotypes, respectively, had the highest frequencies. SNPs -420 (P = 0.000) and +299 (P = 0.002) in men and SNP +157 in men (P = 0.005) and in women (P = 0.019) showed significant association with higher mean blood glucose. The rare allele homozygotes also had the highest mean blood glucose values. We also observed associations between at least one of the SNPs and fasting blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin A1 (GHbA(1)), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. After correction for multiple comparisons, the association between the promoter variant SNP -420 and cerebrovascular disease in both genders and the associations between mean blood glucose and SNP -420 and SNP +299 in men remained significant. Conclusions The results suggest that resistin may play a role in atherogenesis probably through increasing insulin resistance.