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Genetic analysis suggests that a Cardiac hormone may protect against development of diabetes
02 November, 2011
Research lead by the MRC Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge has used two different approaches to demonstrate that a cardiac hormone may help protect against developing type 2 diabetes.
The researchers initially observed that individuals with higher levels of the cardiac hormone 'B-type natriuretic peptide' (BNP) in their blood had a decreased risk of going on to develop type 2 diabetes, independently of other known risk factors, such age, gender, body mass, blood pressure and family history of diabetes. However, as in all epidemiological studies, it is not possible to deduce from such an observation alone that levels of BNP are likely to be directly linked to the development of diabetes.
To address this issue, the researchers also examined a genetic variant named 'rs198389' for which people can have a C-type or a T-type 'allele'. In a combined analysis of 11 studies, totalling some 80,000 individuals, the team found the C-allele was less frequent in individuals with diabetes compared to in those without diabetes. This particular genetic variant 'rs198389' is located within the gene coding the BNP hormone and individuals with a C-allele have higher BNP blood levels than individuals with the T-allele. Taken together this means that individuals with high BNP blood levels determined by their C-allele of the genetic variant 'rs198389' have a lower risk of diabetes and that this association is likely to be direct.
Lead research Dr Roman Pfister commented:
“Our study suggests that the hormone BNP which is released from the heart may have a causal role in the development of type 2 diabetes. This gives important new insight into the pathophysiology of diabetes and in the future may lead to new interventions or drug targets to help the prevention of diabetes. It also contributes to an improved understanding of the complex interactions between cardiovascular system and metabolism.
Link to paper:
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1001112
