Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 2008 February; 29 (2): 252-258; doi: 10.1111/j.1745-7254.2008.00744.x

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between R219K, M883I, and R1587K variants of the ATP-binding cassette transporter subfamily A number 1 (ABCA1) gene and response to rosiglitazone treatment in newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A total of 105 diabetic patients with no history of antihyperglycemia medication were treated with rosiglitazone (4 or 8 mg daily) for 48 weeks. Three non-synonymous variants R219K, M883I, and R1587K, were genotyped in all patients.

Results: Ninety-three patients completed the entire study. The R219K variant of ABCA1 had an effect on rosiglitazone response with the per-allele odds ratio of 2.04 for treatment failure (P<0.05). The RR homozygotes had a better improvement in indicators of insulin sensitivity, as determined by a significantly greater decrease in the homeostasis model assessment index of insulin resistance (_2.39±0.46 vs _0.69±0.51, P<0.05). No genotype-phenotype association was detected for M883I and R1587K.

Conclusion: The R219K variant of ABCA1 was associated with the therapeutic effect of rosiglitazone. The RR homozygotes had a better response to rosiglitazone treatment in terms of insulin sensitivity improvement than minor K allele carriers. Neither the M883I nor R1587K variant of the ABCA1 gene was associated with rosiglitazone response.

Keywords: pharmacogenetics; rosiglitazone; ATP-binding cassette transporter subfamily A number 1; single nucleotide polymorphisms