New Gene Associated With Diabetes Discovered

Researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston have identified a new gene, a mutation which is associated with type 1 diabetes. According to the lead researcher, the gene called SUMO-4 contributes a portion of the risk of getting type 1 diabetes, which typically strikes youngsters. It plays a role in regulating the immune system and when mutated, it functions abnormally, prolonging the inflammatory response.

The finding gives scientists a clue about the autoimmune cause of diabetes and suggests that the mutated SUMO-4 gene may influence the inflammatory process itself and increase the susceptibility to the complications of diabetes.

They have identified a host of genes that contribute to the risk of developing the disease such as those in the HLA or human leukocyte antigen region, which regulate the immune system and help in the differentiation of immune cells.

The genes in the HLA region account for as much as 40 per cent of the familial risk of developing type1 diabetes and SUMO-4 contributes to the overall risk. However, its significance lies in its role in controlling the immune and inflammatory response.

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