Genes Determine Levels of Glucose

In individuals with type 2 diabetes, the way the level of glucose (the sugar molecule that is our main source of energy) in the body while not eating (fasting glucose level) is regulated fails and fasting glucose levels increase dramatically.  New insight into genetic variations that have an impact on the fasting glucose levels of nondiabetic individuals has now been provided by a team of researchers from the Istituto Nazionale Ricovero E Cura Anziari, Italy, and the University of Southern California.  Specifically, an association between one defined genetic variation and increased fasting glucose levels was observed in nondiabetic individuals.  This variation was located between two genes known as G6PC2 and ABCB11.  As G6PC2 carries the information for making a protein expressed by the cells that become dysfunctional in individuals with type 2 diabetes, the authors suggest that the genetic variation probably affects fasting glucose levels by altering the expression of this gene.

Tagged as: glucose, type 2 diabetes