RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: There is substantial evidence that hereditary factors contribute to the predisposition to diabetic nephropathy. On the other hand, it has been suggested that genetics of diabetic nephropathy and hypertension may overlap. Recently, a C to T substitution (C825T) in the gene encoding for the guanine-nucleotide-binding protein beta(3) subunit (GNB3) was identified, and this molecular variant was found to be associated with enhanced activation of G proteins and increased risk of the development of hypertension. The aim of the study was to test whether GNB3 C825T polymorphism contributes to the development of incipient or overt nephropathy or hypertension in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: GNB3 genotype was determined in 130 type 2 diabetic patients with overt proteinuria or chronic renal failure, 155 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria and 163 control subjects with normoalbuminuria and known type 2 diabetes duration of at least 10 years. RESULTS: No differences in GNB3 genotype distributions or allele frequencies between the study groups were found. Also, no differences between normotensive and hypertensive patients were demonstrated. CONCLUSION: The study provided evidence against the major impact of the GNB3 C825T polymorphism on the increased risk of the development of nephropathy or hypertension in type 2 diabetic patients.