TITLE:
Association between the TP53 Arg72Pro (rs1042522) Polymorphism and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Implications for Molecular Imaging Biomarkers
AUTHORS:
Cedrick Izere, Callixte Yadufashije, Frederick Bukachi, Anne Wairimu Kamau, Brenda Munene, V. Chitrasree, Lakshmi Agarwal
KEYWORDS:
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, TP53 Gene, Arg72 Pro Polymorphism, Molecular Imaging Biomarkers, Insulin Resistance, Genetic Association, PCR Genotyping
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Molecular Imaging,
Vol.15 No.1,
January
30,
2026
ABSTRACT: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion. Genetic factors, including variations in the TP53 gene, may influence metabolic pathways linked to disease progression. The p53 protein regulates apoptosis, DNA repair, and cellular metabolism, suggesting potential relevance as a molecular biomarker in imaging-based disease assessment. A hospital-based preliminary cross-sectional study was conducted from June to August 2024 among participants recruited at Ruhengeri Level Two Teaching Hospital and Rwamagana Level Two Teaching Hospital, Rwanda, while molecular analyses were performed at the Molecular Biology Laboratory of INES-Ruhengeri. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) cases were defined according to standard diagnostic criteria, including fasting plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥ 6.5%, or current use of antidiabetic medication. Non-diabetic controls were individuals without a history of diabetes and with normal fasting blood glucose or HbA1c values where available. The study included 21 participants (12 T2DM cases and 9 controls). Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. Genotyping of the TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism (rs1042522) was performed using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Fisher’s exact test and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate associations. T2DM prevalence was higher among females (57.14%) than males (42.86%). The Proline (CCC) allele predominated in both T2DM patients (62.5%) and controls (72.22%), while the Arginine (CGC) allele was less frequent. The heterozygous Arg/Pro genotype was more frequent among T2DM cases (75.0%) than controls (55.6%), although no statistically significant association was identified (p > 0.05). Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium analysis showed no deviation among controls. This preliminary pilot study found no significant association between TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and T2DM susceptibility in the studied population. However, its known role in metabolic regulation highlights potential relevance for molecular imaging biomarkers targeting p53-mediated pathways. Further large-scale studies integrating genetic profiling with molecular imaging techniques are warranted.