Genetic link to diabetes found in South Asians
Six new genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes in South Asians have been identified by a team of international researchers. Writing in the journal Nature Genetics, the team explains how their findings advance the search for diagnostic markers and drug targets, and in turn the global battle to prevent and treat this major disease which often leads on to serious heart disease or stroke. Diabetes is common among people with South Asian ancestry; the risk of developing the condition is fourfold compared with the risk among people of European descent. Globally, 55 million South Asian people are affected, and this number is only set to increase, with estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) predicting a rise to 80 million by 2030. Dr John Chambers, one of the study's authors from Imperial College London comments on the aim of the study: 'Type 2 diabetes is more common in South Asian populations than any other ethnic group, but the reason for this increased risk is unclear. Although lifestyle factors such as unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and obesity are important causes of diabetes in South Asians, these are only part of the explanation. Genetic factors have been widely considered to play a role in the increased risk of type 2 diabetes in Asians, but to date have not been systematically explored in this population.' The study, which was carried out by scientists from Australia, China, Japan, Mauritius, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, turns the focus for the first time on the genes underlying diabetes amongst people originating from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The team looked at the DNA from 18,731 people with type 2 diabetes as well as 39,856 healthy people as a control. They analysed the participants' genomes and looked for locations where variations were more common in those with diabetes. They found six positions where differences of a single letter in the genetic code were associated with type 2 diabetes, suggesting that nearby genes have a role in the disease. Dr John Chambers explains the implications of their findings: 'Our study identifies six new genetic variants linked to type 2 diabetes in South Asians. Our findings give important new insight into the genes underlying of diabetes in this population, which in the long term might lead to new treatments to prevent diabetes.' Lead author of the study Professor Jaspal S. Kooner, also from Imperial College London, says: 'This is the first genome-wide association study in South Asians, who comprise one-quarter of the globe's population, and who carry a high burden of the disease and its complications, including heart attack and stroke. We have shown that the genetic variants discovered here in South Asians also exist and contribute to diabetes in Europeans. Our studies in Asians and European populations highlight the importance and gain in examining the same problem in different ethnic groups.' Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Hyperglycaemia, or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels. According to the WHO, 346 million people worldwide have diabetes and in 2004, an estimated 3.4 million people died as a result of the consequences of high blood sugar. Among these deaths, over 80% occurred in low- and middle-income countries. The onset of type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented by employing a healthy diet, taking part in regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use.For more information, please visit:Imperial College London:http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/
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