(STUDY OF ANGIOTENSINOGEN GENE POLYMORPHISM IN EGYPTIAN PATIENTS WITH INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETES MELLITUS (IDDM

Abstract

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of excess mortality in type I diabetes mellitus and is characterized clinically by persistent albuminuria, relentless decline in glomerular filtration rate, and raised arterial blood pressure.

The pathogenesis of this complication is not fully understood, but present evidence suggests a multifactorial origin with contributions from genetic factors, hemodynamic alteration, metabolic abnonnalities, and various growth factors e.g., angiotnsin II.

Good evidence exists that genetic predisposition is a major determinant in the development of renal and cardiovascular cqmplications of diabetes. These genes are not known, but those of the rennin angiotensin system (RAS) are plausible candidates. Various variations in genes like angiotensin converting enzyme gene (ACE - gene) and angiotensinogen gene (AGT­ gene) have been described , which could be associated with the development of diabetic nephropathy. On the other hand, two molecular variants of the AGT gene, one encoding threonine instead of methionine at position 235 M235T and the other encoding methionine rather than threonine at position

174 Tl74M were suggested for possible association with hypertension.

The aim of our study is to explore the role of the functional genetic marker AGT M235T polymorphism in Egyptian patients with type I diabetes mellitus with and without diabetic nephropathy.

To achieve this aim we studied 30 patients with type I diabetes mellits (15 patients with diabetic nephropathy and 15 patients without nephropathy) and 15 healthy individuals as control group.