Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms with insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, and diabetes in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus

Background This study investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) reported by previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to be associated with impaired insulin secretion, insulin resistance, and/or type 2 diabetes are associated with disposition index, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and/or development of diabetes following a pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods Seventy-two SNPs were genotyped in 374 women with previous GDM from Southern Sweden. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed 1-2 years postpartum, although data on the diagnosis of diabetes were accessible up to 5 years postpartum. HOMA-IR and disposition index were used to measure insulin resistance and secretion, respectively. Results The risk A-allele in the rs11708067 polymorphism of the adenylate cyclase 5 gene (ADCY5) was associated with decreased disposition index (beta = - 0.90, SE 0.38, p = 0.019). This polymorphism was an expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) in islets for both ADCY5 and its antisense transcript. The risk C-allele in the rs2943641 polymorphism, near the insulin receptor substrate 1 gene (IRS1), showed a trend towards association with increased HOMA-IR (beta = 0.36, SE 0.18, p = 0.050), and the T-allele of the rs4607103 polymorphism, near the ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif 9 gene (ADAMTS9), was associated with postpartum diabetes (OR = 2.12, SE 0.22, p = 0.00055). The genetic risk score (GRS) of the top four SNPs tested for association with the disposition index using equal weights was associated with the disposition index (beta = - 0.31, SE = 0.29, p = 0.00096). In addition, the GRS of the four SNPs studied for association with HOMA-IR using equal weights showed an association with HOMA-IR (beta = 1.13, SE = 0.48, p = 9.72874e-11). All analyses were adjusted for age, body mass index, and ethnicity. Conclusions This study demonstrated the genetic susceptibility of women with a history of GDM to impaired insulin secretion and sensitivity and, ultimately, to diabetes development.