Glucagon gene polymorphism modifies the effects of smoking and physical activity on risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Han Chinese

Few genome-wide association studies have considered interactions between multiple genetic variants and environmental factors associated with disease. The interaction was examined between a glucagon gene (GCG) polymorphism and smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity and the association with risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a case–control study of Chinese Han subjects. The rs12104705 polymorphism of GCG and interactions with environmental variables were analyzed for 9619 participants by binary multiple logistic regression. Smoking with the C-C haplotype of rs12104705 was associated with increased risk of T2DM (OR = 1.174, 95% CI = 1.013–1.361). Moderate and high physical activity with the C-C genotype was associated with decreased risk of T2DM as compared with low physical activity with the genotype (OR = 0.251, 95% CI = 0.206–0.306 and OR = 0.190, 95% CI = 0.164–0.220). However, the interaction of drinking and genotype was not associated with risk of T2DM. Genetic polymorphism in rs12104705 of GCG may interact with smoking and physical activity to modify the risk of T2DM.