Polymorphisms in FTO and TCF7L2 genes of Euro-Brazilian women with gestational diabetes

To investigate the association between fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene polymorphisms rs8050136C>A and rs9939609T>A, and transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene polymorphisms rs12255372G>T and rs7903146C>T, in a sample group of pregnant Euro-Brazilian women with or without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Subjects were classified as either healthy pregnant control (n=200) or GDM (n=200) according to the 2010 criteria of the American Diabetes Association. The polymorphisms were genotyped using fluorescent probes (TaqMan®). All groups were in the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. The genotype and allele frequencies of the examined polymorphisms did not exhibit significant difference (P>0.05) between the groups. In the healthy and GDM pregnant women groups, the A-allele frequencies (95% CI) of FTO polymorphisms rs8050136 and rs9939609 were 39% (34–44%); 38% (33–43%) and 40% (35–45%); 41% (36–46%), respectively; and the T-allele frequencies of TCF7L2 polymorphisms rs12255372 and rs7903146 were 30% (26–35%), 32% (27–37%) and 29% (25–34%), 36% (31–41%), respectively. The examined polymorphisms were not associated with GDM in the Euro-Brazilian population studied. •Gestational diabetes is affected by genetic background•We studied four SNPs associated with GDM in FTO and TCF7L2 genes.•This case-control prospective study was the first report for admixture pregnant Brazilian women with GDM