MOLECULAR SCANNING OF THE GLYCOGEN-SYNTHASE AND INSULIN-RECEPTOR SUBSTRATE-1 GENES IN JAPANESE SUBJECTS WITH NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

We studied a simple tandem repeal DNA polymorphism in the glycogen syn thase gene and polymorphisms at codon 513 (Ala-->Pro) and 972 (Gly-->A rg) in the insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) gene in 197 non-insuli n-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and 178 control subjects in Japa n. Eight alleles (-3G, -2G, -1G, OG, 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G) were identifi ed in the tandem repeat polymorphism in the glycogen synthase gene. No difference in the frequencies of these alleles was found between diab etics and controls. The codon 972 polymorphism of IRS-1 gene was obser ved in 7 diabetics (3.6%) and 8 controls (4.5%), whereas the codon 513 polymorphism was not found in either of the two groups. We conclude t hat the tandem repeat polymorphism in the glycogen synthase gene and t he polymorphisms at codons 513 and 972 of the IRS-1 gene ale not assoc iated with a higher risk for the development of NIDDM in Japanese subj ects. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.