Association analysis between the VDR gene variants and type 2 diabetes

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is recognized as a complex metabolic which has affected the lives of millions of people around the world. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms have been suggested to be a vital contributor to the development of T2DM. However, the association between VDR gene polymorphisms and T2DM remains controversial. We have investigated the association between two VDR gene polymorphisms (rs731236 and rs1544410) and T2DM in an Iranian population. Methods A total of 148 T2DM patients and 100 normal controls were recruited in this study. We used polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis to perform genotyping. Results The results of the present research revealed that the frequency of the rs731236 C allele was significantly higher in T2DM patients than in normal controls (p = 0.044). The CC genotype of rs731236 was connected with an increased risk of T2DM (OR = 2.85, 95% CI = 1.06–7.69, p = 0.039). However, no significant difference in the frequency of the rs1544410 C allele between T2DM patients and normal controls was observed (p = 0.918). Conclusion Our findings were suggestive of the rs731236 polymorphism of the VDR as a risk factor for developing T2DM in the Iranian population, while rs1544410 polymorphism may not be associated with T2DM susceptibility. Further research is needed to approve these findings in other populations and to clarify the underlying mechanisms involved in such an association.