Micro-RNA Binding Site Polymorphisms in the WFS1 Gene Are Risk Factors of Diabetes Mellitus

PLoS One. 2015 Oct 1;10(10):e0139519. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139519. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The absolute or relative lack of insulin is the key factor in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. Although the connection between loss of function mutations of the WFS1 gene and DIDMOAD-syndrome including diabetes mellitus underpins the significance of wolframin in the pathogenesis, exact role of WFS1 polymorphic variants in the development of type 1 and type 2 diabetes has not been discovered yet. In this analysis, 787 patients with diabetes and 900 healthy people participated. Genotyping of the 7 WFS1 SNPs was carried out by TaqMan assays. Association study was performed by χ2-test in combination with correction for multiple testing. For functional analysis, the entire 3' UTR of the WFS1 gene was subcloned in a pMIR-Report plasmid and relative luciferase activities were determined. Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed a generally high LD within the investigated region, however the rs1046322 locus was not in LD with the other SNPs. The two miR-SNPs, rs1046322 and rs9457 showed significant association with T1DM and T2DM, respectively. Haplotype analysis also confirmed the association between the 3' UTR loci and both disease types. In vitro experiments showed that miR-185 reduces the amount of the resulting protein, and rs9457 miRSNP significantly influences the rate of reduction in a luciferase reporter assay. Genetic variants of the WFS1 gene might contribute to the genetic risk of T1DM and T2DM. Furthermore demonstrating the effect of rs9457 in binding of miR-185, we suggest that the optimal level of wolframin protein, potentially influenced by miR-regulation, is crucial in normal beta cell function.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions / genetics
  • Adult
  • Binding Sites
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / genetics*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / metabolism*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / pathology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / genetics*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / pathology
  • Female
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Genotype
  • Haplotypes
  • Humans
  • Linkage Disequilibrium
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics*
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Membrane Proteins
  • MicroRNAs
  • wolframin protein

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund "OTKA - Országos Tudományos Kutatási Alapprogramok", Grant Number: K83766. This grant only covered the costs of the research (lab costs etc.) and provided no personal costs for any author. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.