We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
GLOBE SCIENTIFIC, LLC

Download Mobile App




Genetic Locus Linked to Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in Type II Diabetes

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 24 Jun 2019
Results of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) have identified a genetic locus linked to the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) by individuals suffering from type II diabetes.

DPN, which is a serious complication of diabetes, causes pain or numbness in the legs and an increased risk of foot ulcers. More...
While genetic factors have been postulated to be involved in the etiology of DPN, their identity remains mostly unknown.

To increase understanding of this genetic link, investigators at Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA, USA) conducted a systematic search for genetic variants influencing DPN risk using two well-characterized cohorts. Thus, a GWAS testing 6.8 million SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) was carried out among participants of the ACCORD (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes) clinical trial. Included were 4,384 cases with type II diabetes (TIID) and prevalent or incident DPN and 784 controls with TIID and no evidence of DPN at baseline or during follow-up. Replication of significant loci was sought among subjects with TIID (791 DPN-positive cases and 158 DPN-negative controls) from the BARI 2D (Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes) trial.

Results revealed a region on chromosome 2q24 showing a strong influence on the risk of developing DPN in type II diabetes. While the precise mechanisms remain to be elucidated, there were indications that genetic variants in this region may affect a sodium channel, which regulates the transmission of sensory signals in peripheral nerves.

"People carrying the less frequent variant at that location were protected from neuropathy and people carrying the more common variant at that same location were predisposed to this complication," said senior author Dr. Allesandro Doria, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "We found that people with the protective allele have higher amounts of this sodium channel. This suggests that the sodium channel in the peripheral nerves might be used to protect people from neuropathy, by developing a drug that activates this channel."

Results of the DPN GWAS were published in the May 24, 2019, online edition of the journal Diabetes.

Related Links:
Harvard Medical School


Gold Member
Quantitative POC Immunoassay Analyzer
EASY READER+
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
Automated Microscope
dIFine
New
Modular Hemostasis Automation Solution
CN Track
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
These images illustrate how precision oncology Organ Chips recapitulate individual patients’ responses to chemotherapy (Photo courtesy of Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Cancer Chip Accurately Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Response

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the two primary types of esophageal cancer, ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and currently lacks effective targeted therapies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.