NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The CC-chemokine receptor CCR5-del32 mutation -- already well-known as a protective factor against HIV infection -- is also a modifying pathogenic factor in type I diabetes, a team of investigators from Tartu University in Estonia report. However, the gene is “not directly associated with the aetiology of either type I or type I diabetes,” according to the study.
Dr. Ingrid Kalev and colleagues studied the associations between CCR5 gene polymorphism and diabetes in Estonians. “We found no differences in the frequency of CCR5-del32 between nondiabetic individuals (n=504) and type I (n= 38) and type II (n=111) diabetes mellitus patients,” she told Reuters Health.
“This confirms that the CCR5 gene in humans is not directly associated with the aetiology of either type I or type I diabetes,” she said.
However, a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between CCR5 receptor gene polymorphism and the onset and clinical course of type I diabetes did emerge.
“In type I diabetes, the disease started 5.4 years earlier in the case of wild-type CCR5 genotype compared to CCR5-del32 heterozygotes (p = 0.024),” Dr. Kalev said. “We can speculate that CCR5 gene may be a modifying gene for the course of human type I diabetes.”
In type II diabetics, the receptor gene polymorphism did not affect the age of onset and the clinical course of diabetes. However, in the case of CCR5 wild-type genotype, the frequency of concomitant diseases such as mental disorders, diseases of the musculoskeletal and respiratory system, neoplasms, endocrine and metabolic diseases, per patient was increased compared to CCR5-del32 heterozygotes (p = 0.0006).
This suggests a link between CCR5 polymorphism in type II diabetes and immunologic homeostasis. “We propose that...CCR5 polymorphism in type II diabetes is related to the life quality of the patients,” Dr. Kalev said.
In their report in the November/December issue of the Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications, the investigators call for further studies in larger groups of patients to confirm the disease-modifying effects of the CCR5 gene in diabetes.
Source: J Diabetes Complications 2003;17:387-391. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Immunologic and Biological Factors: Immunologic Factors: Membrane Proteins: Receptors, Cell Surface: Receptors, Immunologic: Receptors, Virus: Receptors, HIV: Receptors, Cytokine: Receptors, Chemokine: Receptors, CCR5: Chemical Actions and Uses: Chemical Actions: Chemicals and DrugsCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
