Genetic factors and insulin secretion: gene variants in the IGF genes

Diabetes. 2004 Feb:53 Suppl 1:S26-30. doi: 10.2337/diabetes.53.2007.s26.

Abstract

IGFs are important regulators of pancreatic beta-cell development, growth, and maintenance. Mutations in the IGF genes have been found to be associated with type 2 diabetes, myocardial infarction, birth weight, and obesity. These associations could result from changes in insulin secretion. We have analyzed glucose-stimulated insulin secretion using hyperglycemic clamps in carriers of a CA repeat in the IGF-I promoter and an ApaI polymorphism in the IGF-II gene. Normal and impaired glucose-tolerant subjects (n = 237) were independently recruited from three different populations in the Netherlands and Germany to allow independent replication of associations. Both first- and second-phase insulin secretion were not significantly different between the various IGF-I or IGF-II genotypes. Remarkably, noncarriers of the IGF-I CA repeat allele had both a reduced insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and disposition index (DI), suggesting an altered balance between insulin secretion and insulin action. Other diabetes-related parameters were not significantly different for both the IGF-I and IGF-II gene variant. We conclude that gene variants in the IGF-I and IGF-II genes are not associated with detectable variations in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in these three independent populations. Further studies are needed to examine the exact contributions of the IGF-I CA repeat alleles to variations in ISI and DI.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alleles
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Germany
  • Glucose Clamp Technique
  • Humans
  • Insulin / blood
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Insulin Secretion
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / genetics*
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / genetics*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Netherlands
  • Reproducibility of Results

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Insulin
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor II