Genetic regulation of metabolomic biomarkers: Paths to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases

The research has revealed eleven new genetic regions associated with the blood levels of the metabolites, including new loci affecting well-established risk markers for cardiovascular disease and potential biomarkers for type 2 diabetes.

In a study to the genetic variance of human metabolism, specialists have identified thirty one regions of the genome that were related with levels of circulating metabolites, i.e., small molecules that take part in different chemical reactions of human body. Many of the studied metabolites are biomarkers for cardiovascular disease or related disorders, accordingly the loci uncovered may provide valuable insight into the biological processes leading to common diseases.

Lab tests used in the clinic typically monitor one or few circulating metabolites. The researchers used a high throughput method called nuclear magnetic resonance that can measure more than hundred different metabolites in one assay. This provides a considerably more in-depth picture of circulating metabolic compounds.

The group assayed 117 detailed metabolic markers, including amino acids, lipids and lipoprotein subclasses, and conducted the largest genome-wide association analysis of this type, in terms of study sample size of 8330 individuals and 7.7 million genomic markers studied. They revealed, in total, 31 genetic regions related with the blood levels of the metabolites.

Among the discoveries were two new loci influencing serum cholesterol subclass measures, well-established risk markers for cardiovascular disease, and five new loci affecting levels of amino acids recently discovered to be potential biomarkers for type 2 diabetes. The found variants have significant effects on the metabolite levels, the effect sizes being in general considerably larger than the known common variants for complex disease have.

Additionally, using twin pair samples, the scientists indicated that the metabolite levels show a high degree of heritability. This result suggests that the studied metabolites are describing better the underlying biology than the routinely used lab tests. In this way, the examination provides further support for the use of detailed data on multitude of metabolites in genetic studies to provide novel biological insights and to help in elucidating the processes leading to common diseases.

Contact details:
Tiffany Hales
Program Manager | Diabetic 2018
Mail id: diabetes@mehealthevents.org

Evening preference, lack of sleep associated with higher BMI in people with prediabetes

Individuals with prediabetes, who go to bed later, eat meals later and are more active and alert later in the day. The individuals who have an evening preference have higher body mass indices compared with people with prediabetes who do things earlier in the day, or exhibit morning preference. According to study, the higher BMI among people with evening preference is related to their lack of sufficient sleep.

Prediabetes is where glucose levels are higher than typical however not yet high enough to be Type 2 diabetes. Without modifications to exercise and diet, patients with prediabetes have a very high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Lack of sufficient sleep has been previously connected to an increased risk for various health conditions, including obesity and diabetes. Evening preference has likewise been connected to higher weight and higher risk for diabetes.

Diabetes is such a widespread disease with such an impact on quality of life, that identifying new lifestyle factors that might play into its development can help us advice patients with a beginning stage of the disease on things they can do to turn it around and prevent prediabetes from becoming full-blown diabetes.

Participants who scored high in morningness answered questions showing that they preferred to wake up earlier, have exercises prior, and felt more alert earlier in the day compared with individuals who scored high on eveningness. Sleep duration and timing were obtained using a questionnaire and the extent of social jet lag was assessed for each participant. Social jet lag reflects a shift in sleep timing among weekdays and weekends. Greater social jetlag has previously been shown to be associated with higher BMI in some populations. Average sleep duration was around seven hours per night.   

The scientists found that for participants younger than 60 years of age, more elevated levels of social jet lag were related with a higher BMI. Among participants older than 60 years old, those with more evening preference had higher BMIs and this impact was partly due to having insufficient sleep but not social jet lag. Evening preference was directly connected with higher BMI in this group. 

Timing and duration of sleep are potentially modifiable. Individuals can have more regular bedtimes and aim to have more sleep, which may help decrease body mass index and the potential development of diabetes in this high-risk group.

Contact details:
Tiffany Hales
Program Manager | Diabetic 2018
Mail id: diabetes@mehealthevents.org