Abstract
Aims/Introduction:
Glyoxalase 1 catalyses the detoxification of methylglyoxal, a major precursor of advanced
glycation end products associated with aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and microvascular
complications of diabetes. Here, we examine a possible association of a single nucleotide
polymorphism of glyoxalase 1 gene (Glo1 A332C, rs4746 or rs2736654) with the prevalence
of microvascular diabetic complications in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Materials and Methods:
Genotyping was performed in 209 patients with type 1 and 524 patients with type 2
diabetes using polymerase chain reaction and subsequent cleavage by restriction endonuclease
Bsa I.
Results:
Frequencies of the glyoxalase 1 genotypes were different with respect to diabetes
type with a significantly higher prevalence of A332A-genotype in type 1 diabetes (35.9%
vs. 27.3%; p=0.03). In type 1 diabetes, there was no correlation of any genotype with
diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy or neuropathy. In contrast, type 2 diabetic patients
homozygous for the C332C allele showed a significantly increased prevalence of diabetic
neuropathy (p=0.03; OR=1.49 [95%-CI: 1.04; 2.11]), while no association with diabetic
nephropathy or retinopathy was found. However, the significance of this association
was lost after correction for multiple testing.
Conclusions:
Our data suggest a possible association of C332C-genotype of the glyoxalase 1 gene
with diabetic neuropathy in type 2 diabetes, supporting the hypothesis that methylglyoxal
might be an important mediator of diabetic neuropathy in type 2 diabetes.
Key words
diabetic neuropathy - detoxification - methylglyoxal - diabetes - Glo1 A332C - rs4746