Screening of 31 genes involved in monogenic forms of obesity in 23 Pakistani probands with early-onset childhood obesity: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Consanguine families display a high degree of homozygosity which increases the risk of family members suffering from autosomal recessive disorders. Thus, homozygous mutations in monogenic obesity genes may be a more frequent cause of childhood obesity in a consanguineous population. METHODS: We identified 23 probands from 23 Pakistani families displaying autosomal recessive obesity. We have previously excluded mutations in MC4R, LEP and LEPR in all probands. Using a chip-based, target-region capture array, 31 genes involved in monogenic forms of obesity, were screened in all probands. RESULTS: We identified 31 rare non-synonymous possibly pathogenic variants (28 missense and three nonsense) within the 31 selected genes. All variants were heterozygous, thus no homozygous pathogenic variants were found. Two of the rare heterozygous nonsense variants identified (p.R75X and p.R481X) were found in BBS9 within one proband, suggesting that obesity is caused by compound heterozygosity. Sequencing of the parents supported the compound heterozygous nature of obesity as each parent was carrying one of the variants. Subsequent clinical investigation strongly indicated that the proband had Bardet-Biedl syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Mutation screening in 31 genes among probands with severe early-onset obesity from Pakistani families did not reveal the presence of homozygous obesity causing variants. However, a compound heterozygote carrier of BBS9 mutations was identified, indicating that compound heterozygosity must not be overlooked when investigating the genetic etiology of severe childhood obesity in populations with a high degree of consanguinity.

Genetic Variations in the Human G Protein-coupled Receptor Class C, Group 6, Member A (GPRC6A) Control Cell Surface Expression and Function.

GPRC6A is a G protein-coupled receptor activated by l-amino acids, which, based on analyses of knock-out mice, has been suggested to have physiological functions in metabolism and testicular function. The human ortholog is, however, mostly retained intracellularly in contrast to the cell surface-expressed murine and goldfish orthologs. The latter orthologs are Gq-coupled and lead to intracellular accumulation of inositol phosphates and calcium release. In the present study we cloned the bonobo chimpanzee GPRC6A receptor, which is 99% identical to the human receptor, and show that it is cell surface-expressed and functional. By analyses of chimeric human/mouse and human/bonobo receptors, bonobo receptor mutants, and the single nucleotide polymorphism database at NCBI, we identify an insertion/deletion variation in the third intracellular loop responsible for the intracellular retention and lack of function of the human ortholog. Genetic analyses of the 1000 genome database and the Inter99 cohort of 6,000 Danes establish the distribution of genotypes among ethnic groups, showing that the cell surface-expressed and functional variant is much more prevalent in the African population than in European and Asian populations and that this variant is partly linked with a stop codon early in the receptor sequence (rs6907580, amino acid position 57). In conclusion, our data solve a more than decade-old question of why the cloned human GPRC6A receptor is not cell surface-expressed and functional and provide a genetic framework to study human phenotypic traits in large genome sequencing projects linked with physiological measurement and biomarkers.

Genetic insights into fetal growth and measures of glycaemic regulation and adiposity in adulthood: a family-based study.

BACKGROUND: The genetics of fetal insulin release and/or action have been suggested to affect fetal growth, adult insulin resistance and adult body composition. The genetic correlation between body composition at birth versus glycaemic regulation and body composition in adulthood have, however, not been well studied. We therefore aimed to investigate these genetic correlations in a family-based cohort. METHODS: A Danish family cohort of 434 individuals underwent an oral glucose tolerance test with subsequent calculation of surrogate measures of serum insulin response and insulin sensitivity. Measures of fetal growth were retrieved from midwife journals. Heritability and genetic correlations were estimated using a variance component model. RESULTS: A high heritability of 0.80 was found for birth weight, whereas ponderal index had a heritability of 0.46. Adult insulin sensitivity measured as Matsuda index was genetically correlated with both birth weight and ponderal index (ρG = 0.36 (95% CI: 0.03; 0.69) and ρG = 0.52 (95% CI, 0.15; 0.89), respectively). Only birth weight showed a significant genetic correlation with adult weight (ρG = 0.38 (95% CI: 0.09; 0.67)) whereas only ponderal index was genetically inversely correlated with fasting insulin (ρG = - 0.47 (95% CI: - 0.86; - 0.08) and area under the curve for insulin release during the oral glucose tolerance test (ρG = - 0.66 (95% CI: - 1.13; - 0.19)). Individual as well as combined adjustment for 45 selected birth weight, obesity and type 2 diabetes susceptibility gene variants did not affect the correlations. CONCLUSIONS: The genetics of both birth weight and ponderal index appear to be under the same genetic influence as adult insulin resistance. Furthermore, ponderal index and adult insulin release seem to be partly shared, as well as the genetics of birth weight and adult weight. Word count abstract: 281.

Common variants in the hERG (KCNH2) voltage-gated potassium channel are associated with altered fasting and glucose-stimulated plasma incretin and glucagon responses.

BACKGROUND: Patients with long QT syndrome due to rare loss-of-function mutations in the human ether-á-go-go-related gene (hERG) have prolonged QT interval, risk of arrhythmias, increased secretion of insulin and incretins and impaired glucagon response to hypoglycemia. This is caused by a dysfunctional Kv11.1 voltage-gated potassium channel. Based on these findings in patients with rare variants in hERG, we hypothesized that common variants in hERG may also lead to alterations in glucose homeostasis. Subsequently, we aimed to evaluate the effect of two common gain-of-function variants in hERG (rs36210421 and rs1805123) on QT interval and plasma levels of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), insulin and glucagon during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). We used two population-based cohorts for evaluation of the effect of common variants in hERG on QT-interval and circulation levels of incretins, insulin and glucagon. The Danish population-based Inter99 cohort (n = 5895) was used to assess the effect of common variants on QT-interval. The Danish ADDITION-PRO cohort was used (n = 1329) to study genetic associations with levels of GLP-1, GIP, insulin and glucagon during an OGTT. RESULTS: Carriers of either the minor A-allele of rs36210421 or the minor G-allele of rs1805123 had ~ 2 ms shorter QT interval per risk allele (p = 0.025 and p = 1.9 × 10- 7). Additionally, both variants were associated with alterations in pancreatic and gut hormone release among carriers. The minor A- allele of rs36210421 was associated with increased GLP-1 and decreased GIP response to oral glucose stimulation, whereas the minor G-allele of rs1805123 is associated with decreased fasting plasma insulin and glucagon release. A genetic risk score combining the two gene variants revealed reductions in glucose-stimulated GIP, as well as suppressed glucagon response to increased glucose levels during an OGTT. CONCLUSIONS: Two common missense polymorphisms of the Kv11.1 voltage-gated hERG potassium channel are associated with alterations in circulating levels of GIP and glucagon, suggesting that hERG potassium channels play a role in fasting and glucose-stimulated release of GIP and glucagon. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT00289237 ). Trial retrospectively registered at February 9, 2006. Studies were approved by the Ethical Committee of the Central Denmark Region (journal no. 20080229) and by the Copenhagen County Ethical Committee (KA 98155).

Evaluation of a target region capture sequencing platform using monogenic diabetes as a study-model.

BACKGROUND: Monogenic diabetes is a genetic disease often caused by mutations in genes involved in beta-cell function. Correct sub-categorization of the disease is a prerequisite for appropriate treatment and genetic counseling. Target-region capture sequencing is a combination of genomic region enrichment and next generation sequencing which might be used as an efficient way to diagnose various genetic disorders. We aimed to develop a target-region capture sequencing platform to screen 117 selected candidate genes involved in metabolism for mutations and to evaluate its performance using monogenic diabetes as a study-model. RESULTS: The performance of the assay was evaluated in 70 patients carrying known disease causing mutations previously identified in HNF4A, GCK, HNF1A, HNF1B, INS, or KCNJ11. Target regions with a less than 20-fold sequencing depth were either introns or UTRs. When only considering translated regions, the coverage was 100% with a 50-fold minimum depth. Among the 70 analyzed samples, 63 small size single nucleotide polymorphisms and indels as well as 7 large deletions and duplications were identified as being the pathogenic variants. The mutations identified by the present technique were identical with those previously identified through Sanger sequencing and Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification. CONCLUSIONS: We hereby demonstrated that the established platform as an accurate and high-throughput gene testing method which might be useful in the clinical diagnosis of monogenic diabetes.

Identification of pathogenic GCK variants in patients with common type 2 diabetes can lead to discontinuation of pharmacological treatment.

Background: Functionally disruptive variants in the glucokinase gene (GCK) cause a form of mild non-progressive hyperglycemia, which does not require pharmacological treatment. A substantial proportion of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) carry GCK variants. We aimed to investigate whether carriers of rare GCK variants diagnosed with T2D have a glycemic phenotype and treatment response consistent with GCK-diabetes. Methods: Eight patients diagnosed with T2D from the Danish DD2 cohort who had previously undergone sequencing of GCK participated. Clinical examinations at baseline included an oral glucose tolerance test and continuous glucose monitoring. Carriers with a glycemic phenotype consistent with GCK-diabetes took part in a three-month treatment withdrawal. Results: Carriers of pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants had lower median fasting glucose and C-peptide levels compared to carriers of variants of uncertain significance and benign variants (median fasting glucose: 7.3 (interquartile range: 0.4) mmol/l vs. 9.5 (1.6) mmol/l, p = 0.04; median fasting C-peptide 902 (85) pmol/l vs. 1535 (295) pmol/l, p = 0.03). Four participants who discontinued metformin treatment and one diet-treated participant were reevaluated after three months. There was no deterioration of HbA1c or fasting glucose (median baseline HbA1c: 49 (3) vs. 51 (6) mmol/mol after three months, p = 0.4; median baseline fasting glucose: 7.3 (0.4) mmol/l vs. 7.0 (0.6) mmol/l after three months, p = 0.5). Participants did not consistently fulfill best practice guidelines for GCK screening nor clinical criteria for monogenic diabetes. Discussion: Carriers of pathogenic or likely pathogenic GCK variants identified by unselected screening in T2D should be reported, as they have a glycemic phenotype and treatment response consistent with GCK-diabetes. Variants of uncertain significance should be interpreted with care. Systematic genetic screening of patients with common T2D receiving routine care can lead to the identification and precise care of patients with misclassified GCK-diabetes who are not identifiable through common genetic screening criteria.

A novel splice-affecting HNF1A variant with large population impact on diabetes in Greenland.

Background: The genetic disease architecture of Inuit includes a large number of common high-impact variants. Identification of such variants contributes to our understanding of the genetic aetiology of diseases and improves global equity in genomic personalised medicine. We aimed to identify and characterise novel variants in genes associated with Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) in the Greenlandic population. Methods: Using combined data from Greenlandic population cohorts of 4497 individuals, including 448 whole genome sequenced individuals, we screened 14 known MODY genes for previously identified and novel variants. We functionally characterised an identified novel variant and assessed its association with diabetes prevalence and cardiometabolic traits and population impact. Findings: We identified a novel variant in the known MODY gene HNF1A with an allele frequency of 1.9% in the Greenlandic Inuit and absent elsewhere. Functional assays indicate that it prevents normal splicing of the gene. The variant caused lower 30-min insulin (ß = -232 pmol/L, ßSD = -0.695, P = 4.43 × 10-4) and higher 30-min glucose (ß = 1.20 mmol/L, ßSD = 0.441, P = 0.0271) during an oral glucose tolerance test. Furthermore, the variant was associated with type 2 diabetes (OR 4.35, P = 7.24 × 10-6) and HbA1c (ß = 0.113 HbA1c%, ßSD = 0.205, P = 7.84 × 10-3). The variant explained 2.5% of diabetes variance in Greenland. Interpretation: The reported variant has the largest population impact of any previously reported variant within a MODY gene. Together with the recessive TBC1D4 variant, we show that close to 1 in 5 cases of diabetes (18%) in Greenland are associated with high-impact genetic variants compared to 1-3% in large populations. Funding: Novo Nordisk Foundation, Independent Research Fund Denmark, and Karen Elise Jensen's Foundation.

Increased frequency of rare missense PPP1R3B variants among Danish patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: PPP1R3B has been suggested as a candidate gene for monogenic forms of diabetes as well as type 2 diabetes (T2D) due to its association with glycaemic trait and its biological role in glycogen synthesis. OBJECTIVES: To study if rare missense variants in PPP1R3B increase the risk of maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY), T2D or affect measures of glucose metabolism. METHOD: Targeted resequencing of PPP1R3B was performed in 8,710 samples; MODY patients with unknown etiology (n = 54), newly diagnosed patients with T2D (n = 2,930) and population-based control individuals (n = 5,726, of whom n = 4,569 had normal glucose tolerance). All population-based sampled individuals were examined using an oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: Among n = 396 carriers, we identified twenty-three PPP1R3B missense mutations, none of which segregated with MODY. The burden of likely deleterious PPP1R3B variants was significantly increased with a total of 17 carriers among patients with T2D (0.58% (95% CI: 0.36-0.93)) compared to 18 carriers among non-diabetic individuals (0.31% (95% CI: 0.20-0.49)), resulting in an increased risk of T2D (OR (95% CI) = 2.57 (1.14-5.79), p = 0.02 (age and sex adjusted)). Furthermore, carriers with diabetes had less abdominal fat and a higher serum concentration of LDL-cholesterol compared to patients with T2D without rare missense PPP1R3B variants. In addition, non-diabetic carriers had a higher birth weight compared to non-carriers. CONCLUSION: Rare missense PPP1R3B variants may predispose to T2D.

Heterogeneity in glucose response curves during an oral glucose tolerance test and associated cardiometabolic risk.

We aimed to examine heterogeneity in glucose response curves during an oral glucose tolerance test with multiple measurements and to compare cardiometabolic risk profiles between identified glucose response curve groups. We analyzed data from 1,267 individuals without diabetes from five studies in Denmark, the Netherlands and the USA. Each study included between 5 and 11 measurements at different time points during a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test, resulting in 9,602 plasma glucose measurements. Latent class trajectories with a cubic specification for time were fitted to identify different patterns of plasma glucose change during the oral glucose tolerance test. Cardiometabolic risk factor profiles were compared between the identified groups. Using latent class trajectory analysis, five glucose response curves were identified. Despite similar fasting and 2-h values, glucose peaks and peak times varied greatly between groups, ranging from 7-12 mmol/L, and 35-70 min. The group with the lowest and earliest plasma glucose peak had the lowest estimated cardiovascular risk, while the group with the most delayed plasma glucose peak and the highest 2-h value had the highest estimated risk. One group, with normal fasting and 2-h values, exhibited an unusual profile, with the highest glucose peak and the highest proportion of smokers and men. The heterogeneity in glucose response curves and the distinct cardiometabolic risk profiles may reflect different underlying physiologies. Our results warrant more detailed studies to identify the source of the heterogeneity across the different phenotypes and whether these differences play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Human biallelic MFN2 mutations induce mitochondrial dysfunction, upper body adipose hyperplasia, and suppression of leptin expression.

MFN2 encodes mitofusin 2, a membrane-bound mediator of mitochondrial membrane fusion and inter-organelle communication. MFN2 mutations cause axonal neuropathy, with associated lipodystrophy only occasionally noted, however homozygosity for the p.Arg707Trp mutation was recently associated with upper body adipose overgrowth. We describe similar massive adipose overgrowth with suppressed leptin expression in four further patients with biallelic MFN2 mutations and at least one p.Arg707Trp allele. Overgrown tissue was composed of normal-sized, UCP1-negative unilocular adipocytes, with mitochondrial network fragmentation, disorganised cristae, and increased autophagosomes. There was strong transcriptional evidence of mitochondrial stress signalling, increased protein synthesis, and suppression of signatures of cell death in affected tissue, whereas mitochondrial morphology and gene expression were normal in skin fibroblasts. These findings suggest that specific MFN2 mutations cause tissue-selective mitochondrial dysfunction with increased adipocyte proliferation and survival, confirm a novel form of excess adiposity with paradoxical suppression of leptin expression, and suggest potential targeted therapies.

DNA methylation and gene expression of HIF3A: cross-tissue validation and associations with BMI and insulin resistance.

BACKGROUND: Associations between BMI and DNA methylation of hypoxia-inducible factor 3-alpha (HIF3A) in both blood cells and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) have been reported. In this study, we investigated associations between BMI and HIF3A DNA methylation in the blood and SAT from the same individuals, and whether HIF3A gene expression in SAT and skeletal muscle biopsies showed associations with BMI and insulin resistance. Furthermore, we aimed to investigate gender specificity and heritability of these traits. METHODS: We studied 137 first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients from 48 families, from whom we had SAT and muscle biopsies. DNA methylation of four CpG sites in the HIF3A promoter was analyzed in the blood and SAT by pyrosequencing, and HIF3A gene expression was analyzed in SAT and muscle by qPCR. An index of whole-body insulin sensitivity was estimated from oral glucose tolerance tests. RESULTS: BMI was associated with HIF3A methylation at one CpG site in the blood, and there was a positive association between the blood and SAT methylation levels at a different CpG site within the individuals. The SAT methylation level did not correlate with HIF3A gene expression. Interestingly, HIF3A expression in SAT, but not in muscle, associated negatively with BMI and whole-body insulin resistance. We found a significant effect of familiality on HIF3A methylation levels in the blood and HIF3A expression levels in skeletal muscle. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are in line with the previously reported link between BMI and DNA methylation of HIF3A in the blood. The tissue-specific results of HIF3A gene expression indicate that SAT is the more functional tissue in which a low expression may adversely affect whole-body insulin sensitivity.

Blood-based biomarkers of age-associated epigenetic changes in human islets associate with insulin secretion and diabetes.

Aging associates with impaired pancreatic islet function and increased type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk. Here we examine whether age-related epigenetic changes affect human islet function and if blood-based epigenetic biomarkers reflect these changes and associate with future T2D. We analyse DNA methylation genome-wide in islets from 87 non-diabetic donors, aged 26-74 years. Aging associates with increased DNA methylation of 241 sites. These sites cover loci previously associated with T2D, for example, KLF14. Blood-based epigenetic biomarkers reflect age-related methylation changes in 83 genes identified in human islets (for example, KLF14, FHL2, ZNF518B and FAM123C) and some associate with insulin secretion and T2D. DNA methylation correlates with islet expression of multiple genes, including FHL2, ZNF518B, GNPNAT1 and HLTF. Silencing these genes in ß-cells alter insulin secretion. Together, we demonstrate that blood-based epigenetic biomarkers reflect age-related DNA methylation changes in human islets, and associate with insulin secretion in vivo and T2D.

The type 2 diabetes risk allele of TMEM154-rs6813195 associates with decreased beta cell function in a study of 6,486 Danes.

OBJECTIVES: A trans-ethnic meta-analysis of type 2 diabetes genome-wide association studies has identified seven novel susceptibility variants in or near TMEM154, SSR1/RREB1, FAF1, POU5F1/TCF19, LPP, ARL15 and ABCB9/MPHOSPH9. The aim of our study was to investigate associations between these novel risk variants and type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetic traits in a Danish population-based study with measurements of plasma glucose and serum insulin after an oral glucose tolerance test in order to elaborate on the physiological impact of the variants. METHODS: Case-control analyses were performed in up to 5,777 patients with type 2 diabetes and 7,956 individuals with normal fasting glucose levels. Quantitative trait analyses were performed in up to 5,744 Inter99 participants naïve to glucose-lowering medication. Significant associations between TMEM154-rs6813195 and the beta cell measures insulinogenic index and disposition index and between FAF1-rs17106184 and 2-hour serum insulin levels were selected for further investigation in additional Danish studies and results were combined in meta-analyses including up to 6,486 Danes. RESULTS: We confirmed associations with type 2 diabetes for five of the seven SNPs (TMEM154-rs6813195, FAF1-rs17106184, POU5F1/TCF19-rs3130501, ARL15-rs702634 and ABCB9/MPHOSPH9-rs4275659). The type 2 diabetes risk C-allele of TMEM154-rs6813195 associated with decreased disposition index (n=5,181, ß=-0.042, p=0.012) and insulinogenic index (n=5,181, ß=-0.032, p=0.043) in Inter99 and these associations remained significant in meta-analyses including four additional Danish studies (disposition index n=6,486, ß=-0.042, p=0.0044; and insulinogenic index n=6,486, ß=-0.037, p=0.0094). The type 2 diabetes risk G-allele of FAF1-rs17106184 associated with increased levels of 2-hour serum insulin (n=5,547, ß=0.055, p=0.017) in Inter99 and also when combining effects with three additional Danish studies (n=6,260, ß=0.062, p=0.0040). CONCLUSION: Studies of type 2 diabetes intermediary traits suggest the diabetogenic impact of the C-allele of TMEM154-rs6813195 is mediated through reduced beta cell function. The impact of the diabetes risk G-allele of FAF1-rs17106184 on increased 2-hour insulin levels is however unexplained.

Does DNA methylation of PPARGC1A influence insulin action in first degree relatives of patients with type 2 diabetes?

Epigenetics may play a role in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes (T2D), and increased DNA methylation of the metabolic master regulator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PPARGC1A) has been reported in muscle and pancreatic islets from T2D patients and in muscle from individuals at risk of T2D. This study aimed to investigate DNA promoter methylation and gene expression of PPARGC1A in skeletal muscle from first degree relatives (FDR) of T2D patients, and to determine the association with insulin action as well as the influence of family relation. We included 124 Danish FDR of T2D patients from 46 different families. Skeletal muscle biopsies were excised from vastus lateralis and insulin action was assessed by oral glucose tolerance tests. DNA methylation and mRNA expression levels were measured using bisulfite sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. The average PPARGC1A methylation at four CpG sites situated 867-624 bp from the transcription start was associated with whole-body insulin sensitivity in a paradoxical positive manner (ß = 0.12, P = 0.03), supported by a borderline significant inverse correlation with fasting insulin levels (ß = -0.88, P = 0.06). Excluding individuals with prediabetes and overt diabetes did not affect the overall result. DNA promoter methylation was not associated with PPARGC1A gene expression. The familiality estimate of PPARGC1A gene expression was high (h(2) = 79±27% (h(2)±SE), P = 0.002), suggesting genetic regulation to play a role. No significant effect of familiality on DNA methylation was found. Taken together, increased DNA methylation of the PPARGC1A promoter is unlikely to play a major causal role for the development of insulin resistance in FDR of patients with T2D.

Genome-wide population-based association study of extremely overweight young adults--the GOYA study.

BACKGROUND: Thirty-two common variants associated with body mass index (BMI) have been identified in genome-wide association studies, explaining ∼1.45% of BMI variation in general population cohorts. We performed a genome-wide association study in a sample of young adults enriched for extremely overweight individuals. We aimed to identify new loci associated with BMI and to ascertain whether using an extreme sampling design would identify the variants known to be associated with BMI in general populations. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: From two large Danish cohorts we selected all extremely overweight young men and women (n = 2,633), and equal numbers of population-based controls (n = 2,740, drawn randomly from the same populations as the extremes, representing ∼212,000 individuals). We followed up novel (at the time of the study) association signals (p<0.001) from the discovery cohort in a genome-wide study of 5,846 Europeans, before attempting to replicate the most strongly associated 28 SNPs in an independent sample of Danish individuals (n = 20,917) and a population-based cohort of 15-year-old British adolescents (n = 2,418). Our discovery analysis identified SNPs at three loci known to be associated with BMI with genome-wide confidence (P<5×10(-8); FTO, MC4R and FAIM2). We also found strong evidence of association at the known TMEM18, GNPDA2, SEC16B, TFAP2B, SH2B1 and KCTD15 loci (p<0.001), and nominal association (p<0.05) at a further 8 loci known to be associated with BMI. However, meta-analyses of our discovery and replication cohorts identified no novel associations. SIGNIFICANCE: Our results indicate that the detectable genetic variation associated with extreme overweight is very similar to that previously found for general BMI. This suggests that population-based study designs with enriched sampling of individuals with the extreme phenotype may be an efficient method for identifying common variants that influence quantitative traits and a valid alternative to genotyping all individuals in large population-based studies, which may require tens of thousands of subjects to achieve similar power.

Variant near ADAMTS9 known to associate with type 2 diabetes is related to insulin resistance in offspring of type 2 diabetes patients--EUGENE2 study.

BACKGROUND: A meta-analysis combining results from three genome-wide association studies and followed by large-scale replication identified six novel type 2 diabetes loci. Subsequent studies of the effect of these variants on estimates of the beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity have been inconclusive. We examined these variants located in or near the JAZF1 (rs864745), THADA (rs7578597), TSPAN8 (rs7961581), ADAMTS9 (rs4607103), NOTCH2 (rs10923931) and the CDC123/CAMK1D (rs12779790) genes for associations with measures of pancreatic beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity. METHODOLOGY/RESULTS: Oral and intravenous glucose stimulated insulin release (n = 849) and insulin sensitivity (n = 596) estimated from a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp were measured in non-diabetic offspring of type 2 diabetic patients from five European populations. Assuming an additive genetic model the diabetes-associated major C-allele of rs4607103 near ADAMTS9 associated with reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake (p = 0.002) during a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. However, following intravenous and oral administration of glucose serum insulin release was increased in individuals with the C-allele (p = 0.003 and p = 0.01, respectively). A meta-analyse combining clamp and IVGTT data from a total of 905 non-diabetic individuals showed that the C-risk allele associated with decreased insulin sensitivity (p = 0.003) and increased insulin release (p = 0.002). The major T-allele of the intronic JAZF1 rs864745 conferring increased diabetes risk was associated with increased 2(nd) phase serum insulin release during an IVGTT (p = 0.03), and an increased fasting serum insulin level (p = 0.001). The remaining variants did not show any associations with insulin response, insulin sensitivity or any other measured quantitative traits. CONCLUSION: The present studies suggest that the diabetogenic impact of the C-allele of rs4607103 near ADAMTS9 may in part be mediated through decreased insulin sensitivity of peripheral tissues.