Mason-type diabetes and DNA insertion polymorphism

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY)

This review summarized aspects of the widening scope, phenotypic expression, natural history, recognition, pathogeneses, and heterogenous nature of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), an autosomal dominant inherited subtype of NIDDM, which can be recognized at a young age. There are differences in metabolic, hormonal, and vascular abnormalities in different ethnic groups and even among Caucasian pedigrees. In MODY patients with low insulin responses, there is a delayed and decreased insulin and C-peptide secretory response to glucose from childhood or adolescence, even before glucose intolerance appears; it may represent the basic genetic defect. The nondiabetic siblings have had normal insulin responses for decades. The fasting hyperglycemia of some MODY has been treated successfully with sulfonylureas for more than 30 years. In a few, after years or decades of diabetes, the insulin and C-peptide responses to glucose are so low that they may resemble those of early Type I diabetes. The rate of progression of the insulin secretory defect over time does distinguish between these two types of diabetes. In contrast are patients from families who have very high insulin responses to glucose despite glucose intolerance and fasting hyperglycemia similar to those seen in patients with low insulin responses. In many of these patients, there is in vivo and in vitro evidence of insulin resistance. Whatever its mechanism, the compensatory insulin responses to nutrients must be insufficient to maintain normal carbohydrate tolerance. This suggests that diabetes occurs only in those patients who have an additional islet cell defect, i.e., insufficient beta cell reserve and secretory capacity. In a few MODY pedigrees with high insulin responses to glucose and lack of evidence of insulin resistance, an insulin is secreted which is a structurally abnormal, mutant insulin molecule that is biologically ineffective. No associations have been found between specific HLA antigens and MODY in Caucasian, black, and Asian pedigrees. Linkage studies of the insulin gene, the insulin receptor gene, the erythrocyte/Hep G2 glucose transporter locus, and the apolipoprotein B locus have shown no association with MODY. Vascular disease may be as prevalent as in conventional NIDDM. Because of autosomal dominant transmission and penetrance at a young age, MODY is a good model for further investigations of etiologic and pathogenetic factors in NIDDM, including the use of genetic linkage strategies to identify diabetogenic genes.

Linkage analysis of the human insulin receptor gene and maturity onset diabetes of the young

The cloning of the insulin receptor cDNA has permitted the definition of restriction fragment length polymorphisms at that locus. These polymorphisms were used to study the role of the insulin receptor in four pedigrees with maturity onset diabetes of the young through linkage analyses. When each pedigree was individually analysed, no linkage was demonstrated in the two larger pedigrees, implying that an insulin receptor defect was not responsible for the predisposition to diabetes in these pedigrees. One of these pedigrees was known to be hypoinsulinaemic, while insulin levels were unavailable in the second pedigree. In the two smaller pedigrees, however, a single haplotype cosegregated with diabetes. One of these pedigrees is known to be hyperinsulinaemic. The small size of the pedigrees which demonstrated cosegregation precluded statistical proof of linkage. Nonetheless, the presence of an uncommon insertional polymorphism which cosegregated with diabetes in both pedigrees was improbable and suggested that this insertion could be responsible for diabetes in these families. This study thus may be additional evidence for heterogeneity in maturity onset diabetes of the young. For the two larger pedigrees, the insulin gene and HLA region have already been eliminated as genetic markers. This study provides data which eliminate a third candidate gene in these two pedigrees.

Diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, and the 5' flanking polymorphism of the human insulin gene

On the 5' side of the human insulin gene is a highly polymorphic locus containing 2 major size classes of DNA restriction fragments which segregate in families as stable genetic elements. Fragments with an average size of about 600 base-pairs (bp) (the 'L-allele') seem to be a weak genetic marker for type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, whereas fragments of an average size of about 2500 bp (the 'U-allele') have hitherto been associated with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and diabetic hypertriglyceridaemia. Recent evidence does not confirm the association between the U-allele and type 2 diabetes. Our own studies suggest that the U-allele is a fairly strong marker for the development of atherosclerosis with a relative risk for U-carriers of 3.36. The U-allele has not been associated with conventional cardiovascular risk factors such as body weight, blood pressure, or levels of blood glucose, triglycerides or lipoproteins. The putative functions of the polymorphic region in the aetiology of type 1 diabetes and atherosclerosis, and the relation of this region to other genetic markers for these disorders are not known.

Insulin-gene flanking sequences, diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis: a review

A highly polymorphic locus flanking the human insulin gene contains two major size classes of DNA restriction fragments, which segregate in families as stable genetic elements. The L-allele, i.e. fragments with an average size of about 600 base-pairs seems to be a weak genetic marker for Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, whereas the U-allele, i.e. fragments of an average size of about 2500 base-pairs hitherto has been associated with Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and diabetic hypertriglyceridaemia. The most recent reports on this subject do not confirm an association between the U-allele and Type 2 diabetes. Our own studies indicate that the U-allele is a fairly strong marker for the development of atherosclerosis (relative risk for U-carriers 3.36). The putative functions of the polymorphic region in atherogenesis and the relation of this region to other genetic markers for atherosclerosis are not known.

Heterogeneity within type II and MODY diabetes

The heterogeneity within Type II diabetes (NIDDM) and within Maturity-Onset type Diabetes of Young people (MODY), a subset of NIDDM which is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, is discussed. Aspects of the definition and phenotypic expression of MODY are reviewed. Within NIDDM there are differences in patterns of inheritance between subgroups. HLA antigen associations are not found in most NIDDM populations but exist in three specific population groups with Type II diabetes. Within NIDDM and within MODY there are differences in the magnitude of insulin responses to glucose, differences in target tissue responsiveness to insulin in vivo, and differences in receptor and post-receptor effects of insulin. Structurally abnormal variant and biologically defective insulin molecules have been found in some Type II diabetic patients and in members of certain MODY families. The presence or absence of obesity may mark heterogeneous groups of Type II diabetic patients, in addition to the importance of obesity in uncovering an insulin secretory defect by causing insulin resistance. There is heterogeneity in susceptibility to vascular disease within NIDDM and MODY. The natural history of carbohydrate metabolism and of insulin secretory responses to glucose in early Type I diabetes and in MODY with low insulin secretory responses are illustrated and similarities and dissimilarities compared and contrasted. Failure to recognize young patients with MODY may contribute to incorrect diagnosis, management, and assignment of prognosis of this form of diabetes in the young by many practicing physicians. The recognition that Type I or insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM) and Type II or noninsulin-dependent (NIDDM) differ from each other not only phenotypically but also in etiology and pathogenesis led the National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG) to devise the present nomenclature and classification of diabetes mellitus. These were adopted by the World Health Organization. As suggested by the NDDG report, the classification should be reexamined periodically to reflect improved understanding of the disease, to stimulate further research, and to be of help to practicing physicians.