IJMEG Copyright © 2010-present. All rights reserved. Published by e-Century Publishing Corporation, Madison, WI 53711
Int J Mol Epidemiol Genet 2010;1(3):167-174.

Original Article
Association of resistin promoter polymorphisms with plasma resistin levels
and type 2 diabetes in women and men

Brian H. Chen, Yiqing Song, Eric L. Ding, JoAnn E. Manson, Christian K. Roberts, Nader Rifai, Julie E. Buring, J. Michael
Gaziano, Simin Liu

Program on Genomics and Nutrition, Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA,USA;
Center for Metabolic Disease Prevention, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Division of Preventive Medicine,
Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of
Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health,
Boston, MA, USA; Department of Physiological Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of
Laboratory Medicine, Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Ambulatory Care and
Prevention, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Aging, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; 10Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA;
Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Jonsson
Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Received January 26, 2010, accepted March 25, 2010, available onlin April 1, 2010

Abstract: This study’s objective was to examine the associations between resistin (RETN) polymorphisms, plasma resistin
levels, and type 2 diabetes risk. We conducted two nested case-control studies in postmenopausal women (359 incident
cases and 359 controls) and middle-aged/elderly men (170 incident cases and 170 controls). Controls were matched (1:1) to
cases by age, race, duration of follow-up, and time of blood draw. Circulating resistin levels were higher among carriers of the
variant allele for rs34861192 (p<0.0001 for women, p=0.002 for men) but not rs1862513 (p=0.15 for women, p=0.14 for men).
Neither polymorphism was significantly associated with risk of type 2 diabetes after adjusting for diabetes risk factors
(exercise, smoking status, alcohol intake, family history of diabetes, and matching factors) among women (rs1862513: OR=1.
19, 95% CI=0.80-1.77; rs34861192: OR=0.41, 95% CI=0.14-1.19) and men (rs1862513: OR=1.05, 95% CI=0.57-1.95;
rs34861192: OR=0.64, 95% CI=0.14-2.89). In conclusion, RETN promoter polymorphism rs34861192 was associated with
elevated circulating resistin levels, but rs1862513 was not. Neither polymorphism was associated with an increased risk for
type 2 diabetes. (IJMEG1001002).

Key words: Resistin, RETN, type 2 diabetes, CRP, TNFα-RII, BMI

Full Text  PDF

Address all correspondence to:
Simin Liu, PhD
Center for Metabolic Disease Prevention
University of California, Los Angeles
650 Charles E. Young Drive South
Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772.
Tel: 310-206-5862; Fax: 310-206-6039
Email: siminliu@ucla.edu.