A genome-wide association study suggested that the mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 gene (MAPK14) is associated with diabetic foot ulcer

BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a devastating complication of diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify genetic contributors of DFU based on a genome-wide association study approach using a Scottish diabetic cohort.

METHODS: A genome-wide association approach was applied. A case was defined as a diabetic patient (type 1 or type 2) who had ever been recorded in the linked e-health records as having a foot ulcer (current or previous) in at least one foot as well as a positive result of the monofilament test in the longitudinal e-health records. A control in this study was defined as a diabetic individual (type 1 or type 2) who has never been recorded as having a foot ulcer in either foot in the linked e-health records and the monofilament test results of any foot was once recorded to be positive in the longitudinal e-health records.

RESULTS: We have 699 DFU cases and 2,695 controls in the Genetics of Diabetes Audit and Research in Tayside Scotland (GoDARTS) dataset. The lowest P value of rs80028505 (Chr6p21.31) in the MAPK14 gene was 2.45x10(-8) . The narrow-sense heritability of this phenotype is 0.06.

CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the MAPK14 gene is associated with DFU. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.