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

Dieudonne Nanfa; Eugene Sobngwi; Barbara Atogho-Tiedeu; Jean Jacques N Noubiap; Olivier Sontsa Donfack; Edith Pascale Mato Mofo; Magellan Guewo-Fokeng; Aurelie Nguimmo Metsadjio; Elvis Ndonwi Ngwa; Priscille Pokam Fosso; Eric Djahmeni; Rosine Djokam-Dadjeu; Marie-Solange Evehe; Folefac Aminkeng; Wilfred F Mbacham; Jean Claude Mbanya

doi:10.1186/s40169-015-0058-1

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

Clin Transl Med. 2015 Apr 23:4:17. doi: 10.1186/s40169-015-0058-1. eCollection 2015.

Authors

Dieudonne Nanfa¹, Eugene Sobngwi², Barbara Atogho-Tiedeu¹, Jean Jacques N Noubiap³, Olivier Sontsa Donfack¹, Edith Pascale Mato Mofo¹, Magellan Guewo-Fokeng¹, Aurelie Nguimmo Metsadjio⁴, Elvis Ndonwi Ngwa¹, Priscille Pokam Fosso¹, Eric Djahmeni⁵, Rosine Djokam-Dadjeu¹, Marie-Solange Evehe¹, Folefac Aminkeng⁶, Wilfred F Mbacham⁷, Jean Claude Mbanya²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon ; Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
² Laboratory for Molecular Medicine and Metabolism, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon ; Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon ; National Obesity Center, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
³ Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa ; Medical Diagnostic Center, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁴ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁵ Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁶ The Canadian Pharmacogenomics Network for Drug Safety (CPNDS), Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
⁷ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon ; Laboratory for Public Health Research Biotechnologies, Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Cameroon; Genetic association; Sub-Saharan Africa; Transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2); Type 2 diabetes.