May 1, 2007

In the most comprehensive look at genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes to date, a U.S.-Finnish team, working in close collaboration with two other groups, has identified at least four new genetic variants associated with increased risk of diabetes and confirmed existence of another six. The findings of the three groups, published simultaneously in the advanced online edition of the journal Science, and a fourth group, published in the advanced online edition of Nature Genetics, boost to at least 10 the number of genetic variants confidently associated with increased susceptibility to type 2 diabetes – a disease that affects more than 200 million people worldwide.

Dr. Mohlke’s work is featured in this article by the U.S.-Finnish group:

• A Genome-Wide Association Study of Type 2 Diabetes in Finns Detects Multiple Susceptibility Variants

The two other collaborative studies published in Science are:

• Genome-Wide Association Analysis Identifies Loci for Type 2 Diabetes and Triglyceride Levels
• Replication of Genome-Wide Association Signals in U.K. Samples Reveals Risk Loci for Type 2 Diabetes

The fourth, independent study is published in Nature Genetics:

• A Variant in CDKAL1 Influences Insulin Response and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

NHGRI press release

Science news article