Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity (Feb 2021)
No Association Between ADIPOQ or MTHFR Polymorphisms and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in South African Women
Abstract
Stephanie Dias,1,2 Sumaiya Adam,2 Paul Rheeder,3 Carmen Pheiffer1,4 1Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, 7505, South Africa; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; 3Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; 4Division of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, 7505, South AfricaCorrespondence: Carmen PheifferBiomedical Research and Innovation Platform (BRIP), South African Medical Research Council, Tygerberg, 7505, South AfricaTel +27 21 938 0292Email [email protected]: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a growing public health concern. GDM affects approximately 14% of pregnancies globally, and without effective treatment, is associated with short- and long-term complications in mother and child. Lower serum adiponectin (ADIPOQ) concentrations and aberrant DNA methylation have been reported during GDM. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the ADIPOQ − 11377C>G and − 11391G>A, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T polymorphisms and GDM in a population of black South African women.Materials and Methods: DNA was isolated from the peripheral blood of 447 pregnant women with (n=116) or without (n=331) GDM, where after ADIPOQ (rs266729 and rs17300539) and MTHFR (rs1801133) polymorphisms were genotyped using TaqMan Quantitative Real-Time PCR analysis.Results: Women with GDM had a higher body mass index (p=0.012), were more insulin resistant (p< 0.001) and had lower adiponectin levels (p=0.013) compared to pregnant women with normoglycemia. Genotypic, dominant and recessive genetic models showed no association between ADIPOQ rs266729 and rs17300539 and MTHFR rs1801133 polymorphisms and GDM. Intriguingly, the risk G allele of ADIPOQ rs266729 was associated with higher fasting glucose and insulin concentrations, while the T allele in MTHFR rs1801133 was associated with higher fasting insulin concentrations only.Conclusion: ADIPOQ rs266729 and rs17300539 and MTHFR rs1801133 polymorphisms are not associated with GDM in a population of black South African women. These findings suggest that these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) do not individually increase GDM risk in the African population. However, the role of these SNPs in possible gene-gene or gene-environment interactions remain to be established.Keywords: SNP genotyping, molecular biomarkers, adiponectin, ADIPOQ, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, MTHFR, gestational diabetes mellitus, GDM
