PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Non-coding DNA implicated in type 2 diabetes

2014-01-13
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Sam Wong
sam.wong@imperial.ac.uk
44-207-594-2198
Imperial College London
Non-coding DNA implicated in type 2 diabetes Variations in non-coding sections of the genome might be important contributors to type 2 diabetes risk, according to a new study.

DNA sequences that don't encode proteins were once dismissed as "junk DNA", but scientists are increasingly discovering that some regions are important for controlling which genes are switched on.

The new study, published in Nature Genetics, is one of the first to show how such regions, called regulatory elements, can influence people's risk of disease.

Type 2 diabetes affects over 300 million people worldwide. Genetic factors have long been known to have an important role in determining a person's risk of type 2 diabetes, alongside other factors such as body weight, diet and age.

Many studies have identified regions of the genome where variations are linked to diabetes risk, but the function of many of these regions is unknown, making it difficult for scientists to glean insights into how and why the disease develops. Only around two per cent of the genome is made up of genes: the sequences that contain code for making proteins. Most of the remainder is shrouded in mystery.

"Non-coding DNA, or junk DNA as it is sometimes known, is the dark matter of the genome. We're only just beginning to unravel what it does," said leading author Professor Jorge Ferrer, a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London.

In the new study scientists mapped the regulatory elements that orchestrate gene activity in the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar.

In type 2 diabetes, the tissues become less responsive to insulin, resulting in blood sugar levels being too high. Most people can compensate when this happens by producing more insulin, but in people with type 2 diabetes, the pancreas cannot cope with this increased demand.

"The cells that produce insulin appear to be programmed to behave differently in people with type 2 diabetes," said co-author Mark McCarthy, a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator at the University of Oxford. "This study provides some important clues to the mechanisms which are disturbed in the earliest stages of the development of type 2 diabetes, and may point the way to novel ways of treating and preventing the disease."

The team identified genome sequences that drive gene activity in insulin-producing cells specifically. They found that these sequences are located in clusters, and that genetic variants known to be linked to diabetes risk are also found in these clusters.

"Many people have small DNA variants in such regulatory elements, and these variants affect gene expression in the cells that produce insulin. This knowledge will allow us to understand the detailed mechanisms whereby specific DNA variants predispose to diabetes," said Professor Ferrer.

### For more information please contact:

Sam Wong
Research Media Officer
Imperial College London
Email: sam.wong@imperial.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)20 7594 2198
Out of hours duty press officer: +44(0)7803 886 248

Notes to editors

1. L. Pasquali et al. 'Pancreatic islet enhancer clusters enriched in type 2 diabetes risk-associated variants.' Nature Genetics, 12 January 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ng.2870

2. About Imperial College London

Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.

Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial's contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable sources of energy and address security challenges.

In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible.

Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Multi-institutional team finds targetable mutation in rare brain tumor

2014-01-13
Multi-institutional team finds targetable mutation in rare brain tumor BRAF mutation associated with other cancers appears to drive papillary craniopharyngiomas A team led by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Brigham and Women's ...

Designer 'swiss-army-knife' molecule captures RNA in single cells in their natural tissue environment

2014-01-13
Designer 'swiss-army-knife' molecule captures RNA in single cells in their natural tissue environment Findings allow for better understanding of how tissue microenvironment affects gene expression in healthy and diseased cells PHILADELPHIA ...

Ultrasound directed to the human brain can boost sensory performance

2014-01-13
Ultrasound directed to the human brain can boost sensory performance Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists say ultrasound ranks with leading neuromodulation techniques in achieving spatial resolution Whales, bats, and even praying mantises use ultrasound as a sensory ...

Tweaking MRI to track creatine may spot heart problems earlier, Penn Medicine study suggests

2014-01-13
Tweaking MRI to track creatine may spot heart problems earlier, Penn Medicine study suggests Measuring creatine levels with MRI has benefits over contrast-enhanced MRI and MRS PHILADELPHIA— A new MRI method to map creatine at higher ...

Study: At-home test can spot early Alzheimer's

2014-01-13
Study: At-home test can spot early Alzheimer's Finding symptoms early is crucial to treatment, at-home paper test can help COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE test), which takes less than 15 minutes ...

School drug tests don't work, but 'positive climate' might

2014-01-13
School drug tests don't work, but 'positive climate' might PISCATAWAY, NJ – School drug testing does not deter teenagers from smoking marijuana, but creating a "positive school climate" just might, according to research reported in the ...

Brief mental training sessions have long-lasting benefits for seniors' cognition and everyday function

2014-01-13
Brief mental training sessions have long-lasting benefits for seniors' cognition and everyday function Older adults who received as few as 10 sessions of mental (cognitive) training showed improvements in reasoning ability and speed-of-processing when compared with untrained ...

Advanced radiation therapy for head and neck cancer may be better than traditional radiation at preventing side effects and cancer recurrence

2014-01-13
Advanced radiation therapy for head and neck cancer may be better than traditional radiation at preventing side effects and cancer recurrence Patients with head and neck cancer who are treated with an advanced form of radiation therapy may experience fewer side effects and ...

Study finds more targeted form of radiation improves survival in patients with head and neck cancers

2014-01-13
Study finds more targeted form of radiation improves survival in patients with head and neck cancers IMRT reduces side effects, also improves outcomes HOUSTON — Patients with cancers of the head and neck who received intensity-modulated ...

White parents more likely to use age-appropriate car seats than non-whites

2014-01-13
White parents more likely to use age-appropriate car seats than non-whites Race of parents remains a key predictor of whether children will be placed in the right safety seat, according to new U-M study Ann Arbor, Mich. — White parents reported higher ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Cercus electric stimulation enables cockroach with trajectory control and spatial cognition training

Day-long conference addresses difficult to diagnose lung disease

First-ever cardiogenic shock academy features simulation lab

Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained

Less intensive works best for agricultural soil

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests

Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome

UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership

New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll

Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025

Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025

AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials

New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age

Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker

Chips off the old block

Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19

Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity

State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections

Young adults drive historic decline in smoking

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects

A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions

[Press-News.org] Non-coding DNA implicated in type 2 diabetes