The comparative frequency with which the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A, -B, -C and -DR were to be found in 54 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients and 73 individuals unafflicted with diabetes in Korea was determined. There was no association between HLA-B8, -B15, or -Bw54 and IDDM. However, an increased frequency of HLA-B13 was found in a segment of the entire population and the entire population of patients: that group of patients in which the onset occurred before the age of 15 years(juvenile-onset IDDM) (p < .01) and that entire population of patients in which the onset found to be before the age of 30 years (entire IDDM) (p < .01). HLA-B35 was found to be significantly decreased in frequency only in the entire IDDM(p < .05). A significant increase in the frequency of HLA-DR4 was found in the entire IDDM patients; HLA-DR4 was found in 55.6% of the patients versus 31.5% of the controls. However, the negative correlation between HLA-DR2 and IDDM was statistically significant in those with juvenile-onset IDDM. It is concluded that the HLA pattern and its association witH IDDM in Korea would appear to be different from that in most other racial groups, including Caucasians, Japanese, and Chinese.
Adult ; Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin-Dependent/genetics* ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; HLA Antigens/genetics* ; Human ; Korea ; Male

BACKGROUND: Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is caused by the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta-cells. Susceptibility to IDDM appears to depend on more than one genetic locus. Evidence of a genetic linkage for IDDM2 was found in male meioses from French and North American populations. It is linked to maternal imprinting (i.e. monoalleleic expression of the insulin gene) that is considered the most likely cause of these gender-related differences. IGF2 is expressed only in the paternal allele and, therefore, is considered a candidate gene for IDDM2 transmission because of its important autocrine/paracrine effects on the thymus, lymphocytes and pancreas. Nevertheless, it remains controversial whether the parental origin of IDDM2 influences IDDM susceptibility. METHODS: Using PCR and semi-quantitative RT-PCR, we analyzed the INS/ PstI+1127 and IGF2/ApaI polymorphisms and RNA expression level between PstI (+/-) and PstI (+/+) to determine genotype and allele-specific expression of the INS and IGF2 genes. RESULTS: INS/PstI (+/+) and IGF2/ApaI (+/-) were observed in 36 (97.3%) of 37 IDDM patients and in 29 (72.5%) of 40 IDDM patients, respectively. The presence of both IGF2 alleles in RNA was observed in 21 (91.6%) of 24 IDDM patients. Our results show a 3-fold increase in RNA expression from PstI (+/-) allele over PstI (+/+) allele. CONCLUSION: Our conclusion does not entirely exclude IGF2 as the gene involved in IDDM2, even though the parental effect of IDDM2 transmission is not related to IGF2 maternal imprinting. The INS genotype appeared mostly in the PstI (+/+) homozygote and, therefore, we could not explain the INS imprinting pattern in Korean type 1 diabetic patients. Genetic differences between populations may account for the discrepancy between Korean type I diabetic patients and American or French type I diabetic patients.
Adolescent ; Child ; Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin-Dependent/*genetics ; Female ; *Genomic Imprinting ; Human ; Insulin/*genetics ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II/*genetics ; Korea ; Male ; Sex Factors

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes mellitus is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases. The occurrence of common features of autoimmune diseases and the coassociation of multiple autoimmune diseases in the same individual or family supports the notion that there may be common genetic factors. METHODS: To investigate potential clustering of autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) among type 1 diabetes patients and the contribution of common susceptibility genes to this, HLA DR/DQ alleles as well as antithyroid autoantibodies were measured in 115 Korean patients with type 1 diabetes and their 96 first-degree family members. RESULTS: Twenty-five percent of the patients had ATD, whereas 3 of 36 (8%) age-matched normal controls had ATD (RR = 3.7, p < 0.05). Twenty-six of ninty-six (27%) type 1 diabetes family members had ATD. No differences in the distribution of HLA alleles/haplotypes and genotypes between the patients with and without ATD were found. CONCLUSION: From this finding, we could assess that individuals with type 1 diabetes and their relatives frequently develop ATD, perhaps due to common susceptibility genes that are shared among first degree relatives.
Adult ; Alleles ; Autoantibodies/blood ; Autoimmune Diseases/epidemiology* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin-Dependent/genetics ; Diabetes Mellitus, Insulin-Dependent/complications* ; Female ; Glutamate Decarboxylase/immunology ; HLA-DQ Antigens/genetics ; HLA-DR Antigens/genetics ; Human ; Male ; Prevalence ; Thyroid Diseases/epidemiology*

BACKGROUND: The risk of developing diabetes is high in the offspring of patients with type 2 diabetes. There have been no studies to assess the offspring's awareness of the risk of developing diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate how the male offspring of type 2 diabetic patients assess their likelihood of developing diabetes. METHODS: One hundred and one non-diabetic men with one or both parents having type 2 diabetes, aged 19-28 years, were recruited. RESULTS: Thirty-nine subjects (38.6%) were concerned about diabetes and 85 (84.2%) considered diabetes a serious problem. However, only 10 (9.9%) thought they might develop diabetes and 9 (8.9%) had previously attended diabetes education programs with their parents. The educational level amongst the diabetic parents was the only independent predictor of perception of the increased risk. Age, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, educational level and the perception of diabetes as a serious problem were not associated with perception of the increased risk. CONCLUSION: Most offspring of diabetic parents lacked knowledge about the increased risk amongst family members. We suggest that physicians and diabetic educators should provide knowledge about the increased risk of developing diabetes in offspring and the benefit of lifestyle modification to delay or prevent the development of the disease.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent/epidemiology/*genetics ; Educational Status ; Family ; Human ; *Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors