Association of K_ir6.2 gene rs5219 variation with type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis of 21,464 individuals

Aims: rs5219 is in Potassium inwardly-rectifying channel, subfamily J, member 11 (KCNJ11) E23K gene, located at 11p15.1. Researches on the association between rs5219 gene polymorphism with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were performed extensively, but the results remain controversial. To investigate the relationship, a meta-analysis involving 21,464 individuals was conducted.

Methods: Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the strength of this association. Publication bias was evaluated with Begg's test. Our research includes three gene models: allelic genetic model (K-allele vs. E-allele), recessive genetic model (KK vs. EK+EE) and dominant genetic model (EE vs. EK+KK).

Results: In allelic genetic model, subgroup analysis demonstrated rs5219 K-allele was relevant to T2DM risk in Caucasian (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09-1.24, P=0.000) and East Asian (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.13-1.26, P=0.000), recessive genetic model indicated rs5219 KK genotype was related to T2DM risk in Caucasian, East Asian, South Asian, and North African (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.17-1.38, P=0.000), dominant genetic model pointed out rs5219 EE genotype was an opposite association with T2DM risk in Caucasian (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.78-0.94, P=0.001). No obvious evidence of publication bias was found.

Conclusions: There was a believable evidence to verify that rs5219 variation was associated with T2DM.