Characterization of beta cell and incretin function in patients with MODY1 (HNF4A MODY) and MODY3 (HNF1A MODY) in a Swedish patient collection.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the beta cell and incretin function in patients with HNF4A and HNF1A MODY during a test meal. Clinical characteristics and biochemical data (glucose, proinsulin, insulin, C-peptide, GLP-1 and GIP) during a test meal were compared between MODY patients from eight different families. BMI-matched T2D and healthy subjects were used as two separate control groups. The early phase of insulin secretion was attenuated in HNF4A, HNF1A MODY and T2D (AUC0-30 controls: 558.2 ± 101.2, HNF4A MODY: 93.8 ± 57.0, HNF1A MODY: 170.2 ± 64.5, T2D: 211.2 ± 65.3, P < 0.01). Markedly reduced levels of proinsulin were found in HNF4A MODY compared to T2D and that tended to be so also in HNF1A MODY (HNF4A MODY: 3.7 ± 1.2, HNF1A MODY: 8.3 ± 3.8 vs. T2D: 26.6 ± 14.3). Patients with HNF4A MODY had similar total GLP-1 and GIP responses as controls (GLP-1 AUC: (control: 823.9 ± 703.8, T2D: 556.4 ± 698.2, HNF4A MODY: 1,257.0 ± 999.3, HNF1A MODY: 697.1 ± 818.4) but with a different secretion pattern. The AUC insulin during the test meal was strongly correlated with the GIP secretion (Correlation coefficient 1.0, P < 0.001). No such correlation was seen for insulin and GLP-1. Patients with HNF4A and HNF1A MODY showed an attenuated early phase of insulin secretion similar to T2Ds. AUC insulin during the test meal was strongly correlated with GIP secretion, whereas no such correlation was seen for insulin and GLP-1. Thus, GIP may be a more important factor for insulin secretion than GLP-1 in MODY patients.