Summary:
In this study we tested the hypothesis that the Leu7Pro7 polymorphism in prepro neuropeptide Y (NPY) gene could be a risk marker for the development of diabetic retinopathy and analyzed a well characterized cohort of patients with Type 2 diabetes followed-up for 10 years from the time of diagnosis. The frequency of Leu7/Pro7-polymorphism was 9.3% (8 out of 86). At baseline, the frequency of retinopathy in patients with the Leu7/Pro7-polymorphism was 25% (2 out of 8) and in those without it 6.4% (5 out of 78) (p = 0.126). At 10-year the respective figures were 88% and 50% (p = 0.040). The odds ratio for Leu7/Pro7-polymorphism in logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, gender and HbA1c was 8.97 (95% confidence intervals 1.09-98.0; p = 0.049). Our finding based on elderly Finnish Type 2 diabetic subjects suggests that the Leu7Pro7-genotype in preproNPY gene is associated with the development of diabetic retinopathy.
Key words:
NPY gene polymorphism - retinopathy - Type 2 diabetes
References
1
Karvonen M K, Pesonen U, Koulu M, Niskanen L, Laakso M, Rissanen A, Dekker J M, Hart L M, Valve R, Uusitupa M IJ.
Association of a leucine(7)-to-proline(7) polymorphism in the signal peptide of neuropeptide Y with high serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels.
Nat Med.
4
1434-1437
1998;
2
Tomaszuk A, Simpson C, Williams G.
Neuropeptide Y, the hypothalamus and the regulation of energy homeostasis.
Horm Res.
46
53-58
1996;
3
Uusitupa M IJ, Niskanen L K, Siitonen O, Voutilainen E, Pyörälä K.
Ten-year cardiovascular mortality in relation to risk factors and abnormalities in lipoprotein composition in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.
Diabetologia.
36
1175-1184
1993;
4
Zukowska-Grojec Z, Karwatowska-Prokopczuk E, Rose W, Rone J, Movafagh S, Ji H, Yeh Y, Chen W T, Kleinman H K, Grouzmann E, Grant D S.
Neuropeptide Y: a novel angiogenic factor from the sympathetic nerves and endothelium.
Circ Res.
83
187-195
1998;
5
Zukowska-Grojec Z, Pruszczyk P, Colton C, Yao J, Shen G H, Myers A K, Wahlestedt C.
Mitogenic effect of neuropeptide Y in rat vascular smooth muscle cells.
Peptides.
14
263-268
1993;
1 P = 0.040 (Fisher's test)
Prof. Dr. Leo Niskanen
Department of Medicine, building no 5
University of Kuopio
P.O. Box 1627
FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finnland
Telefon: +3 58-17-17 21 63 or + 3 58-17-16 27 80
Fax: +3 58-17-17 39 93
eMail: leo.niskanen@kuh.fi