Evidence for linkage on chromosome 4p16.1 in Type 1 diabetes Danish families and complete mutation scanning of the WFS1 (Wolframin) gene

WFS1 variants in Finnish patients with diabetes mellitus, sensorineural hearing impairment or optic atrophy, and in suicide victims

Mutations in the wolframin gene, WFS1, cause Wolfram syndrome, a rare recessive neurodegenerative disorder. The clinical features include early-onset bilateral optic atrophy (OA), diabetes mellitus (DM), diabetes insipidus, hearing impairment, urinary tract abnormalities and psychiatric illness, and, furthermore, WFS1 variants appear to be associated with non-syndromic DM and hearing impairment. Variation of WFS1 was investigated in Finnish subjects consisting 182 patients with DM, 117 patients with sensorineural hearing impairment (SNHI) and 44 patients with OA, and in 95 suicide victims. Twenty-two variants were found in the coding region of WFS1, including three novel nonsynonymous variants. The frequency of the p.[His456] allele was significantly higher in the patients with SNHI (11.5%; corrected P=0.00008), DM (6.6%; corrected P=0.036) or OA (9.1%; corrected P=0.043) than that in the 285 controls (3.3%). The frequency of the p.[His611] allele was 55.8% in the patients with DM being higher than that in the controls (47%; corrected P=0.039). The frequencies of p.[His456] and p.[His611] were similarly increased in an independent group of patients with DM (N=299). The results support previous findings that genetic variation of WFS1 contributes to the risk of DM and SNHI.

Functional SOCS1 polymorphisms are associated with variation in obesity in whites

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

The suppressor of cytokine signalling 1 (SOCS1) is a natural inhibitor of cytokine and insulin signalling pathways and may also play a role in obesity. In addition, SOCS1 is considered a candidate gene in the pathogenesis of both type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The objective was to perform mutation analysis of SOCS1 and to test the identified variations for association to T2D-related quantitative traits, T2D or T1D.

METHODS

Mutation scanning was performed by direct sequencing in 27 white Danish subjects. Genotyping was carried out by TaqMan allelic discrimination. A total of more than 8100 individuals were genotyped.

RESULTS

Eight variations were identified in the 5' untranslated region (UTR) region. Two of these had allele frequencies below 1% and were not further examined. The six other variants were analysed in groups of T1D families (n = 1461 subjects) and T2D patients (n = 1430), glucose tolerant first-degree relatives of T2D patients (n = 212) and normal glucose tolerant (NGT) subjects. The rs33977706 polymorphism (-820G > T) was associated with a lower body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.004). In a second study (n = 4625 NGT subjects), significant associations of both the rs33977706 and the rs243330 (-1656G > A) variants to obesity were found (p = 0.047 and p = 0.015) respectively. The rs33977706 affected both binding of a nuclear protein to and the transcriptional activity of the SOCS1 promoter, indicating a relationship between this polymorphism and gene regulation.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

This study demonstrates that functional variations in the SOCS1 promoter may associate with alterations in BMI in the general white population.

Integrative analysis for finding genes and networks involved in diabetes and other complex diseases

An integrative analysis combining genetic interactions and protein interactions can be used to identify candidate genes/proteins for type 1 diabetes and other complex diseases.

We have developed an integrative analysis method combining genetic interactions, identified using type 1 diabetes genome scan data, and a high-confidence human protein interaction network. Resulting networks were ranked by the significance of the enrichment of proteins from interacting regions. We identified a number of new protein network modules and novel candidate genes/proteins for type 1 diabetes. We propose this type of integrative analysis as a general method for the elucidation of genes and networks involved in diabetes and other complex diseases.

Mice conditionally lacking the Wolfram gene in pancreatic islet beta cells exhibit diabetes as a result of enhanced endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Wolfram syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by childhood diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy and severe neurodegeneration, resulting in premature death. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms responsible for the phenotype of carbohydrate intolerance and loss of pancreatic beta cells in this disorder.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To study the role of the Wolfram gene (Wfs1) in beta cells, we developed a mouse model with conditional deletion of Wfs1 in beta cells by crossing floxed Wfs1 exon 8 animals with mice expressing Cre recombinase under the control of a rat insulin promoter (RIP2-Cre). Complementary experiments using RNA interference of Wfs1 expression were performed in mouse insulinoma (MIN6) cell lines (WfsKD).

RESULTS

Male knockout mice (betaWfs(-/-)) began developing variable and progressive glucose intolerance and concomitant insulin deficiency, compared with littermate controls, by 12 weeks of age. Analysis of islets from betaWfs(-/-) mice revealed a reduction in beta cell mass, enhanced apoptosis, elevation of a marker of endoplasmic reticulum stress (immunoglobulin heavy chain-binding protein [BiP]), and dilated endoplasmic reticulum with decreased secretory granules by electron microscopy. WfsKD cell lines had significantly increased apoptosis and elevated expression of the genes encoding BiP and C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP), two markers of endoplasmic reticulum stress.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

These results indicate that (1) lack of expression of Wfs1 in beta cells was sufficient to result in the diabetes mellitus phenotype; (2) beta cell death occurred by an accelerated process of apoptosis; and (3) lack of Wfs1 was associated with dilated endoplasmic reticulum and increased markers of endoplasmic reticulum stress, which appears to be a significant contributor to the reduction in beta cell survival.

Mutation analysis of suppressor of cytokine signalling 3, a candidate gene in Type 1 diabetes and insulin sensitivity

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Beta cell loss in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus may result from apoptosis and necrosis induced by inflammatory mediators. The suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS)-3 is a natural inhibitor of cytokine signalling and also influences insulin signalling. SOCS3 could therefore be a candidate gene in the development of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

Mutation analysis of the SOCS3 gene was performed in 21 patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus and in seven healthy subjects. An identified promoter variant was examined in (i) 250 families with Type 1 diabetic family members (1097 individuals); (ii) 212 glucose-tolerant first-degree relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients; and (iii) 370 population-based young, healthy subjects who were unrelated.

RESULTS

Three mutations were identified in the promoter region, but none in the coding region or the 3'UTR. Two of the three mutations had allele frequencies below 1% whereas the C -920-->A substitution had a minor allele frequency of 8%. In the group of young healthy subjects the insulin sensitivity index was higher among homozygous carriers of the A-allele than among heterozygous and wild-type subjects ( p=0.027, uncorrected). The same trend was found in the group of first-degree relatives of Type 2 diabetic patients. No association or linkage was found to Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Homozygosity for the A-allele of the C -920-->A promoter polymorphism of the SOCS3 gene may be associated with increased whole-body insulin sensitivity, but deserves further investigation.