[Pharmacogenetics of insulin secretagogue antidiabetics]

Type 2 diabetes is making up to 90% of the all diabetic cases. In addition to insulin resistance, insufficient B-cell function also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The insufficient production and secretion of insulin can be increased by secretagogue drugs, like sulfonylureas and incretin mimetics/enhancers. In recent years growing number of genetic failures of the B-cells has been detected. These genetic variants can influence the efficacy of secretagogue drugs. Some of these gene polymorphisms were identified in the genes encoding the KATP channel (KCNJ11 and ABCC8). These mutations are able either to reduce or increase the insulin secretion and can modify the insulin response to sulfonylurea treatment. Other polymorphisms were found on genes encoding enzymes or transcription factors. In recent years, the genetic variants of TCF7L2 and its clinical importance have been intensely studied. Authors give a summary of the above gene polymorphisms and their role in insulin secretion.