Study Of ER22/23EK Polymorphism In The Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene In Metabolic Syndrome Subjects From Chinese In Chengdu

Objective:To investigate the association between ER22/23EK polymorphism in the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene with metabolic syndrome subjects from Chinese Han nationality in Chengdu area, and to find that if this polymorphism have racial differences.Research design and methods: 3 groups were designed in our research which included: (1) 107 patients in group of metabolic syndrome: 54 male, 53 female (mean age 59.68±14.55). (2) 50 diabetic patients with dyslipodemia but not enough to diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome: 24 male, 26 female (mean age 57.15±14.10). (3) 106 normal healthy subjects: 45 male, 61 female (mean age 55.52±18.59). In these total 263 subjects, clinical characteristics include: body mass index (BMI) ,waist circumference, waist hip ratio(WHR), blood pressure, fasting and postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels, serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were detected. The ER22/23EK area of glucocorticoid receptor gene was screened by polymerase chain reaction and single strand conformation polymorphism analysis (PCR-SSCP) in all groups. DNA fragments displaying an abnormal migration pattern samples and some normal migration pattern samples during SSCP analysis were subjected to direct sequencing.Results: In metabolic syndrome group, BMI, waist circumference, WHR, systolic pressure (SBP), diastolic pressure (DBP), fasting and postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels, serum TG and TC levels are significantly higher but HDL-C level is lower than those in normal controls (p<0.05). WHR, waist circumference, SBP, DBP, fasting and postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels, serum TG and TC levels in T₂DM with dyslipodemia group are significantly higher but HDL-C level is lower than those in normal controls (p<0.05). The BMI of metabolic syndrome group is significantly higher but DBP, HDL-C are lower than T₂DM with dyslipodemia group (p<0.05). No ER22/23EK polymorphism was found in all groups, and we didn't find any new mutations in the ER22/23EK gene segment of glucocorticoid receptor witch we designed for PCR..Conclusion: No ER22/23EK polymorphism was found in all of 263 Chinese subjects, include patients of metabolic syndrome, T₂DM with dyslipodemia, and normal controls.. The result does not accord with the genotype distribution of ER22/23EK polymorphism which have been reported by European relative studies. Therefore, it seems that there is a racial difference of the ER22/23EK polymorphism, and the ER22/23EK polymorphism may not play important role in metabolic syndrome and T₂DM in Chinese populations.