Lack of association between the -308 polymorphism of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene and the insulin resistance syndrome.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated a role for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in insulin resistance. A polymorphic variant of the TNF-alpha gene, the TNF2 allele, which is a guanine to adenine polymorphism at position -308 in the TNF-alpha promoter, is associated with higher basal and inducible promoter activity. The present study examined whether the TNF2 allele was associated with altered levels of different components of the insulin resistance syndrome, clustering of these components, or the 10-year change in the level of these components.