Gene linked to Type 2 diabetes found

[Angel]

In what might be the first step towards finding a cure for one of the most common diseases, Australian scientists have found a gene that is associated with Type 2 diabetes, a condition that affects millions of people worldwide.

The gene, called PSARL, is on chromosome 3Q. It was discovered by a team of researchers from ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals from Geelong. According to Dr Greg Collier, the chief executive of ChemGenex, it will soon be possible to detect a person's predisposition towards the disease through a DNA test that would involve taking a swab from a patient's mouth. The testing kit would hit the shelves in two years' time.

“It is an exciting discovery. It is the culmination of three years of work,” Dr Collier enthused, adding that early risk detection could help people make alterations to their lives to ward diabetes off. “We tell people to diet and exercise. That has been known for a long time, but few are doing it. Here will be proof of a waiting time bomb if they don't change,” he said. In addition to the testing kit, the team is also trying to develop drugs to correct the anomalies in the PSARL gene that can lead to diabetes.

The findings of the gene study would be presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Diabetes Association in Washington, DC, on June 12 by genomics expert John Blangero, a statement released by ChemGenex said.

“PSARL is increasingly recognized as playing a critical role in mitochondrial function, and offers unique insights into the onset of diabetes. ChemGenex discovered and patent protected the PSARL gene and is working to develop therapeutics that increase PSARL activity as a means to combat the onset of diabetes,” said Dr Blangero, a scientist at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) in San Antonio in Texas.

A disease that alters the quality of life, diabetes is growing leaps and bounds on the back of growing instances of obesity and lack of physical exercise. Characterized by high blood sugar levels, the disease leads to medical complications like amputations, heart troubles and even loss of vision. According to World Health Organization statistics released in 2006, around 171 million people globally are suffering from diabetes. This figure is likely to double by 2030.