Utility of large consanguineous family-based model for investigating the genetics of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Obesity genetics: insights from the Pakistani population

The Pakistani population is extensively diverse, indicating a genetic admixture of European and Central/West Asian migrants with indigenous South Asian gene pools. Pakistanis are organized in different ethnicities/castes based on cultural, linguistic and geographical origin. While Pakistan is facing a rapid nutritional transition, the rising prevalence of obesity is driving a growing burden of health complications and mortality. This represents a unique opportunity for the research community to study the interplay between obesogenic environmental changes and obesity predisposing genes in the time frame of one generation. This review recapitulates the ancestral origins of Pakistani population, the societal determinants of the rise in obesity and its governmental management. We describe the contribution of syndromic, monogenic non-syndromic and polygenic obesity genes identified in the Pakistani population. We then discuss the utility of gene identification approaches based on large consanguineous families and original gene × environment interaction study designs in discovering new obesity genes and causal pathways. Elucidation of the genetic basis of obesity in the Pakistani population may result in improved methods of obesity prevention and treatment globally.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and the Association of Candidate Genes in Asian Indian Population from Hyderabad, India

INTRODUCTION

Genetic and environmental factors play an important role in susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Several genes have been implicated in the development of T2DM. Genetic variants of candidate genes are, therefore, prime targets for molecular analysis.

AIM

In this study, we have selected 3 candidate genes, namely, TCF7L2, SLC30A8, and IGF2, for assessing their association with T2DM in an Indian population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Five hundred individuals were enrolled in this case-control study- 250 T2DM patients and 250 healthy control individuals. Clinical characteristics were obtained for all subjects, and genotype analysis was performed by PCR-RFLP analysis.

RESULTS

Allele and genotyping frequencies, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 1 each from TCF7L2 (rs7903146), SLC30A8 (rs13266634), and IGF2 (rs680) in T2DM patients. The rs7903146 and rs680 polymorphisms were found to be significantly associated with T2DM (p < 0.05), whereas the rs13266634 polymorphism was not (p > 0.05). The multifactor dimensionality reduction method identified the particular polymorphisms associated with an increased risk of disease.

CONCLUSION

The present study indicated that the gene-gene interaction model successfully predicted T2DM risk based on TCF7L2 and SLC30A8 polymorphisms. These results provide strong evidence of independent association between T2DM and the 3 SNPs analysed herein.

Genetics, genomics and personalized medicine in Type 2 diabetes: a perspective on the Arab region

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a wide-spread, chronic metabolic disorder, affecting millions of people worldwide. The epidemic of diabetes has placed a huge strain on public health, longevity and economy. T2D occurs as a result of both genetic and environmental factors and is heterogeneous in its presentation across individuals. This review gives an overview of the genetic variations identified by genome-wide association studies which predispose individuals to T2D and those which are responsible for variable drug response across patients, and the necessity to adopt a personalized approach to diabetes management. We also include a perspective on diabetes in Arabs, given the high incidence of T2D and consanguineous marriages, and the need to understand associated genetic components in this vulnerable population.