The genetic variant of lactase persistence C (-13910) T as a risk factor for type I and II diabetes in the Finnish population

Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004 Sep;58(9):1319-22. doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601971.

Abstract

Objective: Lactase persistence (LP), the ability to maintain a high lactase activity throughout life, has been suggested to be a possible risk factor for diabetes. Recently, a single nucleotide polymorphism C (-13910) T, residing 14 kb from the 5' end of the lactase (LCT) gene was shown to be associated with LP. Here we have studied the relationship between C (13910) T polymorphism and diabetes in the Finnish population.

Patients and design: In all, 1455 patients with type I and 615 with type II diabetes and 446 nondiabetic controls in the Finnish population were genotyped for the C (-13910) T polymorphism by PCR minisequencing.

Results: No differences were detected in the LP genotype frequencies (CT&TT) between diabetic and nondiabetic subjects.

Conclusions: We conclude that the C (-13910) T polymorphism associated with lifelong LP is not a risk factor for type I or type II diabetes in the Finnish population.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Diabetes Mellitus / enzymology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / genetics
  • Female
  • Finland
  • Genetic Variation
  • Genetics, Population
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Lactase / blood
  • Lactase / genetics*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide* / genetics
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Lactase