Polymorphism Study of the Insulin Receptor Substrate IRS1 and IRS2 Genes Associated with Type 2 Diabetes in Ethnic Groups of Djerba Island

Aim: We aimed to evaluate the influence of the Gly972 Arg and Ala513Pro variants of the insulin receptor substrate1 gene (IRS1) and the Gly1057 Asp variant in IRS on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Arab and Berber men and women from Djerba Island, Tunisia. Methods: Genotypes, allelic and genotypic frequencies were studied. The amplified products were analyzed by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) methods by comparing T2DM with healthy controls from the same ethnicity. Results: No differences in genotype or allelic frequencies were found between T2DM and healthy controls in either Arab or Berber ethnic groups. Conclusion: The Gly972 Arg and Ala513Pro variants in IRS1 and Gly1057 Asp in IRS2 polymorphisms are not associated with T2DM in the Arab or Berber populations of Djerba Island