Vitamin D binding protein gene variants rs4588 and rs7041 and low serum concentration of 25-hydroxy (OH) vitamin D3 in type-2 diabetes patients: a pilot study

The current study was designed to evaluate vitamin D 3 levels and its association with common genetic var iants of vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) in type-2 diabetic (TD2) patients of local Pakistani population. Serum 25-hydro xy (OH) vitamin D 3 was quantified in 40 patients and 40 healthy individual s through IDS 25- Hydroxy vitamin D enzyme immunoassay (EIA). A common variant of VDBP or group specific component (GC), rs4588 and rs7041 were genotyped by restricti on fragment length (RFLP) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum levels of 25-hydroxy (OH) vitamin D 3 were found to be deficient (<10 ng/ml) in 74% of T2D patients, while 20% of T2D patients and 90% healthy individuals revealed insufficient D 3 levels (10-29 ng/ml), indicating the importance of the evaluation of 25-h ydroxy (OH) vitamin D 3 levels in T2D patients in Pakistan. The risk allel es of GC (rs4588 and rs7041) were not found to be associated with low serum level of 25-hydroxy (OH) vitamin D 3 ( p=0.053). This pilot study indicates insufficient levels of vitami n D in our general population and low levels in dia betics and forms the basis to perform a large-scale, population based comprehensi ve study.