The GCKR Gene Polymorphism rs780094 is a Risk Factor for Gestational Diabetes in a Brazilian Population.

Background: The glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR) regulates the activity of the glucokinase (GCK), which plays a key role in glucose homeostasis. Genetic variants in GCK have been associated with diabetes and gestational diabetes (GDM). Due to the relationship between GCKRP and GCK, polymorphisms in GCKR are also candidates for genetic association with GDM. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the GCKR rs780094 polymorphism and GDM in a Brazilian population.

Methods: 252 unrelated Euro-Brazilian pregnant women were classified as control (healthy pregnant women, n = 125) and GDM (pregnant women with GDM, n = 127) age-matched groups. Clinical and anthropometric data were obtained from all subjects. The GCKR rs780094 polymorphism was genotyped using fluorescent probes (TaqMan , code C_2862873_10).

Results: Both groups were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The GCKR rs780094 polymorphism was associated with GDM in codominant and dominant models (P = 0.022 and P = 0.010, respectively). The minor allele (T) frequency for the control group in the study was 38.4% (95% CI: 32-44%), similar to frequencies reported for other Caucasian populations.

Conclusion: Carriers of the C allele of rs780094 were 1.41 (odds ratio, 95% CI, 0.97-2.03) times more likely to develop GDM.