OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of UCP3 gene -55 C-->T variant with lipid metabolism, body fat, its distribution and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM) in Chinese.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) was used to detect the genotype of UCP3 gene -55 C-->T in a total of 316 Chinese including 165 individuals with normal glucose tolerance(NGT) and 151 patients with type 2 diabetes). MRI was used to detect local body fat; the enzyme method and sulfate-sephadex-manganese precipitation method were used to detect TC and HDL-C, and then LDL-C was calculated with corresponding formula.

RESULTS(1)No difference was seen on comparing allele and genotype frequencies of Chinese with those of Caucasian (P=0.1120 and P=0.0646, respectively), whereas significant difference in these frequencies was seen between Chinese and Pima Indians(P=0.0 105 and P=0.0314, respectively). (2)Stepwise regression analysis revealed that the independent variables to UCP3 gene -55 C-->T were: HDL-C(P= 0.013)and LDL-C(P=0.012) in male NGT subgroup FA(P=0.023) in female NGT subgroup TG(P=0.004)in male DM subgroup, and waist to hip ratio (WHR)(P=0)in female DM subg roup. (3)The allele frequency of DM group was significantly different from that of NGT(P =0.0358). The odd ratio for the T allele carrier with NIDDM was 1.434 (95%CI 1.031-1.995).

CONCLUSIONAlthough UCP3 gene 55 C-->T variant is associated with lipid metabolism, body fat and its distribution in Chinese, the association is dependent on sex and disease status. The variant is also associated with NIDDM in Chinese.