Restriction fragment length polymorphisms at the GLUT4 and GLUT1 gene loci in Type 2 diabetes

Inherited abnormalities of the glucose transporters could explain many of the pathophysiological features of Type 2 diabetes including the strong familial predisposition to the disease. Previous studies have suggested a possible association between an allele of an Xba1 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) at the GLUT1 gene locus and Type 2 diabetes in Caucasian and Japanese subjects. In order to test this hypothesis further, population association studies were performed at the Xba1/GLUT1 and Kpn1/GLUT4 gene loci employing a group of diabetic patients with a strong family history for the disease. The frequencies of the two alleles at the GLUT1 locus were 0.28 and 0.72 in diabetic patients and 0.31 and 0.69 in control subjects. At the GLUT4 locus, the two alleles had frequencies of 0.24 and 0.76 in diabetic patients and 0.25 and 0.75 in control subjects. These differences were not statistically significant. The present study does not support the hypothesis that genetic variation within the GLUT1 or GLUT4 gene loci may be responsible for familial susceptibility to Type 2 diabetes.