Investigation of the association between the TCF7L2 rs7903146 (C/T) gene polymorphism and obesity in a Cameroonian population: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at investigating the association between the rs7903146 (C/T) polymorphism of the TCF7L2 gene with obesity in a Cameroonian population. METHOD: This was a case-control pilot study including 61 obese and 61 non-obese Cameroonian adults. Anthropometric indices of obesity, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and blood lipids were measured. The rs7903146 (C/T) polymorphism of the TCF7L2 gene was genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and genotypes were correlated with clinical and biological parameters. RESULTS: The T allele was predominant in the study population with a frequency of 93%. No statistically significant difference was however observed between the genotypic (p = 0.50) and allelic frequencies (p = 0.58) of obese and non-obese subjects. Comparison of clinical and biochemical parameters of C allele carriers (CX = CC + CT) with those of TT genotype showed that there was no significant difference between the lipid profile of these two groups. CONCLUSION: The rs7903146 (C/T) polymorphism of the TCF7L2 gene might not be associated with obesity in the Cameroonian population.

The Pro12Ala polymorphism in the PPAR-γ2 gene is not associated to obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Cameroonian population.

BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma 2 (PPAR-γ2) is a transcription factor with a key role in adipocyte differentiation, lipid storage and glucose homeostasis. The Ala allele of the common Pro12Ala polymorphism in the isoform PPAR-γ2 is at the center of many controversies because in some populations, it has been observed to be associated with T2DM or obesity but, not in others. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of Pro12Ala polymorphism in the PPAR-γ2 gene with susceptibility to obesity or T2DM in a Cameroonian population. METHODS: This case-control study included 62 obese, 60 T2DM patients and 120 controls (60 non obese and 60 patients without T2DM), all unrelated and of Cameroonian origin. PPAR-γ2 was examined by genotyping for Pro12Ala using the Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism - Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR - RFLP). RESULTS: A portion of the 270 base pair bands of the PPAR-γ2 gene was successfully amplified. The Ala12 variant was totally absent from the study population, all participants being homozygote Pro/Pro. CONCLUSION: PPAR-γ2 Pro12Ala gene polymorphism may not be associated with obesity and T2DM. These results suggest that, PPAR-γ2 is unlikely a major gene for obesity or T2DM in the study population.

Association between the TCF7L2 rs12255372 (G/T) gene polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Cameroonian population: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: To study the relationship between the rs12255372 (G/T) polymorphism of the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a Cameroonian population. METHODS: This case-control study included 60 T2DM patients and 60 healthy normoglycemic controls, all unrelated and of Cameroonian origin, aged above 40 years (range 40-87). The Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism - Polymerase Chain Reaction (RFLP-PCR) was used for genotyping. RESULTS: The T allele frequency was significantly higher in the diabetic group (0.44) than in the control group (0.17). This allele was significantly associated to a greater risk of developing T2DM as compared to the G allele (OR = 3.92, 95% CI 2.04 - 7.67, p < 0.0001). The codominant (additive) model explained best the risk of developing the disease, as the TT genotype was significantly associated to T2DM when compared to the GG genotype (OR = 4.45, 95% CI 1.64 - 12.83, p = 0.0014). By logistic regression adjusted for age, this OR was 4.33 (95% CI: 1.57 - 11.92, p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the rs12255372 (G/T) polymorphism of the TCF7L2 gene is an important risk factor for T2DM in the Cameroonian population.