Polymorphic markers of the NO synthase genes and genetic predisposition to diabetic polyneuropathy in type 1 diabetes mellitus

The allele and genotype frequency distributions of polymorphic markers of the NOS1, NOS2, and NOS3 genes coding for three different NO synthases were compared for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients with or without diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). The groups (total 180 patients, ethnic Russians or East Slavs from Moscow) had nonoverlapping (polar) phenotypes. Group DPN+ included patients with DPN and T1DM duration of no more than 5 years. Control group DPN- included patients without DPN and with T1DM duration of at least 10 years. No significant differences in allele and genotype frequency distributions were revealed for the polymorphic markers (CA)_n of gene NOS1 (CCTTT)_n of gene NOS2, and ecNOS4a/4b and Glu298Asp of gene NOS3, suggesting a lack of association between the polymorphic markers and DPN. In the case of the (CCTTT)_n polymorphic marker of the NOS2 gene, a tendency toward an association with DPN was observed for allele 14. Carriers of this allele have a lower risk of DPN in T1DM.__________Translated from Molekulyarnaya Biologiya, Vol. 39, No. 2, 2005, pp. 224–229.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Zotova, Voronko, Bursa, Galeev, Strokov, Nosikov.