A Polymorphism in the Melanocortin 4 Receptor Gene (MC4R:c.92C>T) Is Associated with Diabetes Mellitus in Overweight Domestic Shorthaired Cats. (26th December 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Forcada, Y.; Holder, A.; Church, D.B.; Catchpole, B.
• Is Part Of: Journal of veterinary internal medicine. Volume 28:Number 2(2014:Mar./Apr.)
• Page Start: 458
• Page End: 464
• Publication Date: 2013-12-26
• Subjects: Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; 636.0896
• DOI: 10.1111/jvim.12275
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-6640

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jvim12275-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jvim12275-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Feline diabetes mellitus (DM) shares many pathophysiologic features with human type 2 DM. Human genome‐wide association studies have identified genes associated with obesity and DM, including melanocortin 4 receptor (<italic>MC4R</italic>), which plays an important role in energy balance and appetite regulation.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12275-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Hypothesis/Objectives</title> <p>To identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the feline <italic>MC4R</italic> gene and to determine whether any SNPs are associated with DM or overweight body condition in cats.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12275-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Animals</title> <p>Two‐hundred forty domestic shorthaired (DSH) cats were recruited for the study. Of these, 120 diabetics were selected (60 overweight, 60 lean), along with 120 nondiabetic controls (60 overweight and 60 lean). Males and females were equally represented.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12275-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>A prospective case‐control study was performed. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples and used as template for PCR amplification of the feline <italic>MC4R</italic> gene. The coding region of the gene was sequenced in 10 cats to identify polymorphisms. Subsequently, genotyping by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis assessed <italic>MC4R:c.92C > T</italic> allele and genotype frequencies in each group of cats.</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12275-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>No significant differences in <italic>MC4R:c.92C>T</italic> allele or genotype frequencies were identified between nondiabetic overweight and lean cats. In the overweight diabetic group, 55% were homozygous for the <italic>MC4R:</italic>c.92C allele, compared to 33% of the lean diabetics and 30% of the nondiabetics. The differences between the overweight diabetic and the nondiabetics were significant (<italic>P</italic> < .01).</p> </sec> <sec id="jvim12275-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions and Clinical Importance</title> <p>We identified a polymorphism in the coding sequence of feline <italic>MC4R</italic> that is associated with DM in overweight DSH cats, similar to the situation in humans.</p> </sec> </abstract>