Association between KCNJ11 rs5219 variant and alcohol consumption on the effect of insulin secretion in a community-based Korean cohort: a 12-year follow-up study

Chronic alcohol consumption is known to be associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D), which is developed by two underlying mechanisms, β-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance. Identification of genetic variants in association with the development of T2D may help explain the genetic risk factors of T2D. In this study, we tried to find out some genetic variations, which interact with alcohol consumption and also are associated with β-cell function through 12 year’s follow-up study in Korean population. We performed a genotype association study using the community-based Ansung-Ansan Cohort data (baseline n = 3120; follow-up n = 433). Genotype association analyses of the baseline data showed that alcohol consumption is associated with the decreases of blood insulin levels and insulin secretion in participants with the KCNJ11 rs5219 risk allele. Moreover, multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the risk allele group is vulnerable to impairment of β-cell function in response to alcohol consumption (OR 1.450; 95% CI 1.061–1.982). Furthermore, 12-year’ follow-up results showed that alcohol consumption synergistically decreases insulin secretion in participants with KCNJ11 rs5219 risk alleles. Our findings demonstrate that the KCNJ11 rs5219 risk allele in combination with alcohol consumption could be a potential risk factor of β-cell dysfunction. We hope that this new findings could be helpful to further understand the development of T2D depending on individual genetic background in association with alcohol consumption.