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Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, CHD Researchers examined the
genome sequence information of some people and discovered 16 new diabetes genetic risk factors, and one new CHD genetic risk factor; showing that the two diseases are related.
They discovered that sites on the genome associated with higher diabetes risk are also associated with higher CHD risk. For eight of these sites, the researchers were able to identify a specific gene variant that influences risk for both diseases.
The shared genetic risk factors affect biological pathways including immunity, cell proliferation, and heart development. Identifying these gene variants linked to both type 2 diabetes and CHD risk in principle opens up opportunities to reduce the risk of both diseases.
The genetic link between the diseases appears to work in one direction, so that risk genes for type 2 diabetes are much more likely to be associated with higher CHD risk than the other way around. Additionally, there could be some pathways where pharmacological lowering of one disease increases the risk of the other.
The researchers also found that diabetes-linked gene variants tend to differ in their apparent effects on CHD risk, depending on their mechanisms. Variants that increase the chance of obesity or high blood pressure, for example, appear to boost CHD risk more strongly than variants that alter insulin or glucose levels.
They discovered that the genomic regions implicated as dual diabetes-CHD risk loci encompass targets of some existing drugs. One such drug is icosapent, an omega-3 fatty acid component of some fish oils, which lowers cholesterol and is sold in concentrated form as a prescription pharmaceutical.
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