The PlA1/A2 polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein IIIa is not associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes. The Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The PlA1/A2 polymorphism of platelet glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIIa) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. We studied this polymorphism in a homogenous, extensively phenotyped cohort using the candidate gene approach.

METHODS

The PlA1/A2 polymorphism was determined in 1051 patients with type 2 diabetes and in 2247 individuals without type 2 diabetes.

RESULTS

In patients with type 2 diabetes, genotype frequencies were as follows: PlA1/A1 71.4%, PlA1/A2 26.0%, and PlA2/A2 2.7%. In individuals without type 2 diabetes, genotype frequencies were 71.6%, 25.7% and 2.8%, respectively. The PlA2 allele was not associated with fasting and postprandial glucose, glycated haemoglobin, insulin, proinsulin, C-peptide and calculated indices of insulin resistance or pancreatic beta cell function. The PlA2 allele was also not significantly associated with angiographic CHD (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.13; 95% CI, 0.93-1.39) or with a history of previous myocardial infarction (adjusted OR 1.09; 95% CI, 0.87-1.37).

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: The GPIIIa PlA1/A2 polymorphism is not associated with type 2 diabetes, glucose metabolism, angiographic CHD or myocardial infarction.