OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the angiotensin II type I receptor gene (AGTR1) A1166C polymorphism is associated with a high risk of diabetic nephropathy.

METHODSThe allele frequency and the genotype distribution of the AGTR1 A1166C polymorphism were studied in normal controls (157 cases), simple diabetes (141 cases, duration of diabetes >10 years), and diabetic nephropathy (152 cases) by means of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).

RESULTSPatients with diabetic nephropathy had a higher frequency of C allele of the AGTR1 A1166C polymorphism than that of normal controls and simple diabetes (P<0.05); but there was no significant difference in frequency of C allele between the normal controls and patients with simple diabetes.

CONCLUSIONThe diabetic patients with AGTR1 C allele may be more susceptible to diabetic nephropathy than diabetic patients with A allele.