Rare Mutation Kills Gene for Diabetes

The article by Gina Kolata talks about a newly discovered study of 150,000 people carried a rare mutation that was found to be recognized in helping to protect obese people from getting Type 2 Diabetes. The mutation includes also reducing risks of the disease by two-thirds, and is currently being developed into a potential medication treatment to mimic the effect of the mutation. The mutation discovery has been so beneficial and highly anticipated because it is the first mutation where destroying a gene is actually producing an efficient result in humans. The destruction of the copy of the gene is gene ZnT8, although there are known positive effects in humans from this mutation, the mutation in some strains of the mice have shown an opposite effect which destroys the gene and causes the mice to then have diabetes. The mutation functions by destroying a gene ZnT8 that is used by the pancreas cells where the insulin is produced. The rare mutation appears to make slightly more insulin and have a lower blood glucose levels for the entire life. Pfizer, a large pharmaceutical company has already placed great attention to this new discovery and have been working with scientist to fund and aid in the development of creating a treatment drug mimicking the mutation's function. Currently there has been no found negative health effects from the mutations, and that the gene mutation has only proven to destroy the risk of Type 2 Diabetes concluded from the various research populations they drew data from after their testing.

Related Article: https://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/islets/article/9433/