MODY Syndrome

Abstract

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a heterogenous form of diabetes characterized by the early onset of diabetes, autosomal dominant inheritance, and impaired insulin secretion. MODY is mostly caused by mutations of the hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-α (HNF1-α) and glucokinase genes in Caucasians. However most Korean, Japanese, and Chinese patients with MODY do not express known MODY genes. The cause of MODY in Asians has not yet been elucidated clearly. This review focuses on studies on Asian patients with MODY.