Genetic predisposition to impaired beta-cell function modifies the association between serum pyrethroid levels and the risk of type 2 diabetes: A gene-environment interaction study

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2024 Oct 1:284:116948. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116948. Epub 2024 Aug 27.

Abstract

Previous studies suggested that pyrethroid exposure was associated with elevated type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk, while it remains uncertain whether genetic predisposition modifies this association. A nested case-control study within the prospective Dongfeng-Tongji cohort comprised 1832 T2D cases, age- (±5 years) and sex-matched controls with qualified genotyping data. Serum pyrethroids were measured by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Overall diabetes-related genetic risk score (GRS) or pathway-specific GRS, including unweighted GRSs (uGRS) and weighted GRSs (wGRS), was developed by genetic variants identified in Asian populations. Higher overall diabetes-related GRS and GRS specific to the pathway of impaired beta cell function (Beta-cell GRS) were associated with a higher incident T2D risk. Beta-cell uGRS significantly modified the association of serum permethrin (Pinteraction=0.04) and deltamethrin (Pinteraction=0.01) with T2D. Specifically, for each doubling increase in serum deltamethrin, the odds ratios (ORs) (95 % confidence intervals [CIs]) for T2D were 1.23 (0.98-1.56) and 0.91 (0.77-1.07) in the highest and lowest Beta-cell uGRS group, as well as 1.23 (1.02-1.47) and 0.95 (0.78-1.15) for Beta-cell wGRS group, respectively. When considering jointly, those with the highest deltamethrin levels and highest Beta-cell GRS had a substantially higher T2D risk, compared with the reference group (OR for uGRS: 3.79 [95 % CI: 2.03-7.07], Pinteraction=0.03 and 3.23 [95 % CI: 1.78-5.87], Pinteraction=0.05 for wGRS). Our findings suggested that genetic susceptibility to impaired beta-cell function should be considered for T2D prevention targeting pyrethroid exposure, particularly deltamethrin.

Keywords: Deltamethrin; Genetic risk score; Interaction; Pyrethroid; Type 2 diabetes.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Case-Control Studies
  • China
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene-Environment Interaction*
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Humans
  • Insecticides / blood
  • Insecticides / toxicity
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells* / drug effects
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells* / physiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nitriles
  • Prospective Studies
  • Pyrethrins* / blood
  • Pyrethrins* / toxicity
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Pyrethrins
  • decamethrin
  • Insecticides
  • Nitriles