PPARG and Calpain Genes Increase Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
The genetics of a complex disease like type 2 diabetes is difficult to determine; genetic and environmental/lifestyle factors all play a role. In a recent study of Finnish patients, scientists found that variants of the PPARG and calpain 10 (CAPN10) genes increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Unlike most other genetic studies of diabetes which compare people affected with the disease with people free of the disease, this longitudinal study followed asymptomatic people from 1990 to 2002. Over the years, six percent (132) of people developed type 2 diabetes. Both the PPARG and CAPN10 genes increased future risk for type 2 diabetes especially in combination with other risk factors, such as high body mass index (BMI). In particular, those who had both high risk gene variants, fasting plasma glucose ≥ 5.6 mmol/l, and body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2 had a 21 times greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
Pinpointing these genes is just the first step. Biochemical studies that help us understand precisely how the genes make us more susceptible to diabetes are needed to develop any necessary pharmaceutical therapy. Regardless, exercise and eating right go a long way towards preventing and controlling diabetes.
Update: My brain is fried. I completely forgot that I blogged about this two months ago.
Technorati Tags: diabetes, type+2+diabetes, pparg, capn10, genes, genetics, dna, health
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POSTED IN: Genetics of Disease
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1 opinion for PPARG and Calpain Genes Increase Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Dwayne Johnson
Jul 29, 2006 at 2:36 am
Well if the genes increases the risk of type 2 diabetes we canm’t help it
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