Association of serine racemase gene variants with type 2 diabetes in the Chinese Han population

A genome-wide association study in the Chinese Han population has identified several novel genetic variants of the serine racemase (SRR) gene in type 2 diabetes. Our purpose was to systematically evaluate the contribution of SRR variants in the Chinese Han population. rs391300 and rs4523957 in SRR were genotyped respectively in the two independent populations. A meta-analysis was used to estimate the effects of SRR in 21,305 Chinese Han individuals. Associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms and diabetes-related phenotypes were analyzed among 2,615 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients and 5,029 controls. Neither rs391300 nor rs4523957 were associated with type 2 diabetes in populations. Furthermore, meta-analysis did not confirm an association between type 2 diabetes and SRR. In the controls, rs391300-A and rs4523957-G were associated with higher 30-min plasma glucose in an oral glucose tolerance test. The present study did not confirm that SRR was associated with type 2 diabetes.