Korean Research Team Found Two Genetic Variants Closely Linked to Gestational Diabetes

http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=124708&code=Ne2&category=2

Pregnancy is a blessing not only for women, but also for their family members. However, pregnant women need to be extra cautious about their health.

Many pregnancy-related diseases can develop easily during pregnancy, and one of the threats is gestational diabetes mellitus, or GDM. [Interview : Kwak Soo-heon, Assistant Professor Seoul National University Hospital] "Gestational diabetes mellitus is defined as diabetes first diagnosed during pregnancy. Its significance is that women with gestational diabetes have a higher chance of poor perinatal outcome." [Reporter : Park Ji-won jiwonpark@arirang.co.kr]

 "Experts say two to five percent of pregnant women are affected by gestational diabetes. And although their glucose levels normalize after giving birth, data show half of them develop type two diabetes within 10 years." And according to Seoul National University Hospital, Dr. Kwak Soo-heon, along with corresponding authors Dr. Jang Hak-chul and Dr. Park Kyong-soo, found for the first time in the world that two genetic variants are closely linked to the development of the disease. [Interview : Kwak Soo-heon, Assistant Professor Seoul National University Hospital]

"In this study, we investigated more than 2 million genetic variants in 14-hundred gestational diabetes mallitus women and 2-thousand normal controls, and found that two variants near MTNR1B and another variant in CDKAL1 gene was significantly associated with increased risk of gestational diabetes mallitus." The research team hopes the findings could further research in advancing a cure for the disease. [Interview : Kwak Soo-heon, Assistant Professor Seoul National University Hospital] "The significance of this study is that first the genetic information discovered from the study would be used to predict women at risk of gestational diabetes mallitus. And second, the genes that are discovered could be used as novel therapeutic targets and also targets for preventive strategies." The results will be published in the February edition of "Diabetes," a prestigious academic journal by the American Diabetes Association. Park Ji-won, Arirang News. JAN 13, 2012