BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) gene with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D).

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 843 elderly residents from east China were enrolled in this study, which included 426 patients with type 2 diabetes and 417 controls. Four SNPs were analyzed by qPCR. Genotype frequencies of the 4 SNPs in FOXO3 of the patients and controls were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The association between each SNP and clinical indicators was analyzed by linear regression analysis.

RESULTS: None of the 4 FOXO3 variants, rs13217795, rs2764264, rs2802292, and rs13220810, were associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes compared to controls. However, rs13217795, rs2764264, and rs2802292 were associated with lower blood glucose levels. Notably, further subgroup analysis indicated that the longevity-associated alleles of FOXO3 SNP (rs13217795, rs2764264, and rs2802292) were associated with lower blood glucose levels in women (TC versus TT, –0.724 mmol/L, P=0.005; CC versus TT, –1.093 mmol/L, P=0.03; TC versus TT, –0.801 mmol/L, P=0.002; CC versus TT, –1.212 mmol/L, P=0.001; TG versus TT, –0.754 mmol/L, P=0.004; and GG versus TT, –1.150 mmol/L, P=0.001) but not in men.

CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that longevity-associated FOXO3 variants were correlated with lower blood glucose levels in elderly women with type 2 diabetes in east China.

Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Forkhead Transcription Factors, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Aged, 80 and over, Asians, Case-Control Studies, Forkhead Box Protein O3, Gene Frequency, Genotype, Longevity