A combined risk allele score calculated from variants in four genes associated with fasting plasma glucose levels significantly predicts risk for Type 2 diabetes, show results from the Dutch New Hoorn Study.

“Several reports have shown that genetic variation in the genes for glucokinase (GCK), glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR), islet-specific glucose 6 phosphatase catalytic subunit-related protein (G6PC2) and melatonin receptor type 1B (MTNR1B) is associated with fasting plasma glucose,” say L ‘t Hart (Leiden University, The Netherlands) and colleagues.

In this study, the team tested 2361 non-diabetic individuals and 2628 individuals with Type 2 diabetes from the Dutch New Hoorn Study for the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1799884 (GCK), rs1260326 (GCKR), rs560887 (G6PC2), and rs10830963 (MTNR1B).

They found that the GCK, G6PC2, and MTNR1B variants, but not the GCKR SNP, were significantly associated with fasting plasma glucose levels.

When these three SNPs were combined to form a risk allele score, fasting plasma glucose levels went up by 0.05 mmol/l per additional risk allele and glycated hemoglobin went up by around 0.03% per risk allele.

The most common risk allele score was four and therefore was used as a reference group. Individuals with less than three risk alleles had a 23% reduction in the risk for Type 2 diabetes, whereas those with more than five had a 2.05-fold increased risk for the condition.

Of note, age at diagnosis was significantly associated with the number of risk alleles present.

“To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that the analyzed loci have a combined effect on Type 2 diabetes susceptibility, although the contribution of each individual variant to the risk of Type 2 diabetes is very low or undetectable,” say ‘t Hart and team.

They conclude in the journal Diabetologia: “If replicated, our results imply that these loci not only influence fasting plasma glucose levels, probably through an altered set point for glucose at which an insulin response is elicited, but also jointly increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes and the age at diagnosis.”

MedWire (www.medwire-news.md) is an independent clinical news service provided by Current Medicine Group, a part of Springer Science+Business Media. © Current Medicine Group Ltd; 2009

Free abstract

Glycation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is likely to be atherogenic and the concentration of glycated LDL or apolipoprotein (apo) B is positively correlated with plasma levels of small dense-LDL particles, but not glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), report researchers.

The results of two studies of glycated LDL were presented at the Heart UK 23rd Annual Conference in Liverpool in the UK by Nahla Younis and Handrean Soran from Zagazig University in Egypt and the University of Manchester in the UK.

Younis presented data showing that macrophage cells incubated with glycated LDL as opposed to non-glycated LDL took up a significantly higher amount of cholesterol, suggesting that glycation of LDL might be an important atherogenic mechanism.

Younis and her colleagues also found that small dense-LDL was more susceptible to glycation than more buoyant forms and that high-density lipoproteins (HDL) with high paraoxenase-1 activity opposed LDL glycation.

In another study involving 111 Type 2 diabetic patients (statin treated and untreated) and 11 healthy controls without diabetes, Soran and colleagues assessed possible links among glycated apolipoprotein (apo)B, small dense LDL, and HbA1c.

The researchers reported that average levels of glycated apoB were 5.8, 3.5, and 2.9 mg/dl in Type 2 diabetics not treated with a statin, Type 2 diabetics treated with a statin, and controls, respectively.

In the corresponding three groups 69.0%, 39.0%, and 37.5% of the glycated apoB was found in small dense-LDL.

Plasma concentration of glycated apoB was observed to be positively correlated with small dense-LDL, but not HbA1c.

“This may explain why statins are more effective than glycemic control in decreasing cardiovascular disease risk in patients with diabetes and suggests that other means of decreasing small dense-LDL will decrease cardiovascular risk,” concluded Soran.

MedWire (www.medwire-news.md) is an independent clinical news service provided by Current Medicine Group, a part of Springer Science+Business Media. © Current Medicine Group Ltd; 2009

Free abstract

Researchers believe that a variety of selected foods and spices could help treat diabetes. Spices such as cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and turmeric shows a positive reaction that would help the body to handle insulin efficiently. Among those spices, cinnamon seems to have the right qualities to improve the body’s glucose levels and lower the cholesterol levels, for those affected with Type 2 diabetes. Thus, researchers saw a promise and potential that bringing cinnamon into treating diabetes will help maintain the right amount of glucose and insulin in the body to keep it healthy.

Recent research has shown that the effects of cinnamon on diabetes is true, since it contains an antioxidants called polyphenols it is able to help improve the levels of proteins, metabolism and overall condition of the body, especially those with diabetes. It is also reported that cinnamon contains different substances that is able to make insulin more efficient and also improving the hormones ability to bring glucose to the different cells that needs it. Not only the test shows that cinnamon have the ability to improve glucose levels, it also lowered blood levels of fats and bad cholesterol, which are also controlled by insulin.

People who suffer from diabetes can benefit from cinnamon and keep their body fit by adding cinnamon to their diet. Most people prefer to use cinnamon as a supplement, others would rather get their daily teaspoons of cinnamon mixed with their foods. You can look for cinnamon extracts or capsules at your local health food stores or pharmacy or find other means of incorporating cinnamon into your diet. If you’re having a Type 2 diabetes, cinnamon is definitely worth a try if you want to live longer and healthy for the rest of your life.