Large-scale studies of the functional K variant of the butyrylcholinesterase gene in relation to Type 2 diabetes and insulin secretion

Abstract

Aims/hypothesis. Polymorphisms of the butyrylcholin-esterase gene (BCHE) are reported to associate with Alzheimer's disease and a recent study found a significant association of the BCHE K variant (G1615A/Ala539Thr) with Type 2 diabetes. The objectives of our study were to examine whether the BCHE K variant is associated with Type 2 diabetes or estimates of pancreatic beta cell function in large-scale populations of glucose-tolerant Caucasians. Methods. The variant was genotyped in association studies comprising a total of 1408 Type 2 diabetic patients and 4935 glucose-tolerant control subjects. Genotype-phenotype studies were carried out in the 4935 glucose-tolerant control subjects. Results. There was no difference in allele frequency between Type 2 diabetic patients and control subjects (20.3% [95% confidence interval: 18.8-21.8] vs 20.4% [19.6-21.2], non-significant). In the genotype-phenotype studies we found no consistent association with BMI, fasting or post-OGTT plasma glucose, serum insulin or serum C-peptide levels. Conclusions/interpretation. The present study does not support the suggestion that the BCHE K polymorphism is associated with Type 2 diabetes or with estimates of pancreatic beta cell function in large-scale Danish Caucasian populations. © Springer-Verlag 2004.