Scientists claim that they had identified various new genes linked to the most common form of diabetes in a major synergetic effort.
The findings were presented in three reports by university scientists and one by a private company, provide great insight into the role played by genes in the disease that intangles 170 million people worldwide into its web.
They identified at least eight genes that are clear diabetes risk factors - including three previously obscure ones - and several other contingent risk assumptions that merit further attention. All are commonly seen in the general population.
They hope the findings can help guide development of new drugs to treat type 2 diabetes, previously known as adult-onset diabetes, and genetic tests to determine a person’s predisposition for developing it.
The findings are based on a new research technique called genome-wide association studies, in which scientists compare genetic samples from thousands of individuals with a specific illness to those without it. Differences between the two are examined as possible genetic causes of the disease.
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. It is a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputations.
The variant genes found so far account for only 2 percent to 20 percent of the overall risk of diabetes, implying there are many more to be found. The present genes are not sufficient to distinguish reliably between people at low or high risk for diabetes.
The findings by four international teams of researchers, published on Thursday in the journals Science and Nature Genetics.
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