Objectives: The effect of the KIF6 polymorphism Trp719Arg on the risk of T2DM and T2DM with CHD remains unclear.
Methods: 946 unrelated subjects of Han Chinese origin were recruited, comprising 346 controls, 312 T2DM, and 288 T2DM + CHD patients. Genotyping was performed by high-resolution melting curve analysis using real-time qPCR. The impact of the variant on T2DM/T2DM + CHD and gene-sex interaction were evaluated by stepwise multiple regression analysis.
Results: The frequencies of the Trp719 allele in T2DM and T2DM + CHD patients were similar to the control group, whereas significantly increased 719Arg allele frequencies were observed in male T2DM and T2DM + CHD patients compared with the corresponding control group. Further sex partition analysis revealed that only male 719Arg allele carriers had approximately 3-fold and 5-fold higher risk of T2DM and T2DM + CHD, respectively, than noncarriers. There was also a significant association between carriers and higher TG and lower HDL-C levels.
Conclusion: The KIF6 719Arg allele may increase the risk of T2DM and T2DM + CHD only in Han Chinese men by modulating lipid metabolism, especially with regard to TG and HDL.