The TCF7L2 rs7903146 Variant as a Predictor of Type 2 Diabetes Susceptibility in the Iraqi Middle Euphrates Region

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a complex metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Certain populations have identified the TCF7L2 gene, particularly the rs7903146 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), as a major genetic risk factor. In this study, we aim to investigate the impact of the TCF7L2 rs7903146 polymorphism on T2DM in Middle Euphrates region of Iraq. Methods: A case-control study design was conducted with 300 total participants, 150 T2DM patients and 150 healthy controls. Genotypic data was collected using tetra-primer Amplification Refractory Mutation System-Polymerase Chain Reaction (ARMS-PCR) and biochemical parameters included fasting blood glucose, serum insulin levels, lipid profiles, and HbA1c. Statistical Analysis incorporated Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium, logistic regression, Bayesian statistics, and Bayesian analysis. Results: In our research, it seems that the rs7903146 SNP had no impact on the risk of developing T2DM in the participants. There was no significant difference in the T-Allele frequency of the polymorphism where case T2DM patients and controls T2DM (23 % vs. controls 20 %, p = 0.45). There were no significant differences on the studied diabetic and control groups regarding the allelic and genotypic distributions under all genetic models. Moreover, no significant difference in insulin resistance or lipid metabolic profiles was observed among the different genotypes of rs7903146, indicating that this SNP polymorphism may have limited impact on this local population. Conclusion: The information obtained about the middle Euphrates people suggests that rs7903146 polymorphism within TCF7L2 gene is not one of the main candidates factors for the development of T2DM and its associated disorders in this population. The results emphasize the need to focus on specific features of the population of the patients being studied, including the genetic and environmental factors when investigate T2DM.