The A445C Variant in Apelin Receptor and Diabetic Retinopathy in Tunisian Patients.

Background: Apelin and apelin receptor (APLN/APLNR) are involved in the retinal neovascularization of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: This study investigated the impact of the APLNR A445C variant on the risk of DR in a sample of the Tunisian population (100 patients with DR and 105 healthy controls) using PCR-RFLP.

Results: The genotype frequencies of the APLNR A445C variant were not significantly different between the patient and control groups. The genotype was not associated with DR (OR = 1.49; 95% CI [0.49 - 4.48], p = 0.47 for the AC heterozygous genotype and OR = 1.57; 95% CI [0.43 - 5.71], p = 0.49 for the CC homozygous genotype). Furthermore, the clinical and biochemical parameters according to the APLNR A445C genotypes revealed that only total cholesterol (TC) was significantly higher in the DR group with the CC genotype compared to the AA genotype (p < 0.02).

Conclusions: The APLNR A445C polymorphism was not associated with DR in a sample of the Tunisian population, but the CC genotype carrier patients with DR had a high TC concentration.