Genetic Associations of PPARGC1A with Type 2 Diabetes: Differences among Populations with African Origins

The aim of this study was to assess the differences in correlation of PPARGC1A polymorphisms with type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk in adults of African origins: African Americans and Haitian Americans. The case-control study consisted of >30 years old, self-identified Haitian Americans (n = 110 cases and n = 116 controls) and African Americans (n = 124 cases and n = 122 controls) living in South Florida with and without T2D. Adjusted logistic regression indicated that both SNP rs7656250 (OR = 0.22, P = 0.005) and rs4235308 (OR = 0.42, P = 0.026) showed protective association with T2D in Haitian Americans. In African Americans, however, rs4235308 showed significant risk association with T2D (OR = 2.53, P = 0.028). After stratification with sex, in Haitian Americans, both rs4235308 (OR = 0.38, P = 0.026) and rs7656250 (OR = 0.23, P = 0.006) showed protective association with T2D in females whereas in African American males rs7656250 had statistically significant protective effect on T2D (OR = 0.37, P = 0.043). The trends observed for genetic association of PPARGC1A SNPs, rs4235308, and rs7656250 for T2D between Haitian Americans and African Americans point out differences in Black race and warrant replicative study with larger sample size.