Variants of a gene called PTPN1 are associated with differing responses to insulin and control of blood sugar levels, according to a report in the medical journal Diabetes.

“Researchers are beginning to identify genes that measurably contribute to common diseases in the general population,” Dr. Donald W. Bowden from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina told Reuters Health. “This has great potential for influencing preventive care and treatment choices for physicians and patients.”

Based on previous research in mice, Bowden and his colleagues evaluated the association of PTPN1 variations and glucose control in 811 Hispanic subjects.

All 20 variations seen in a specific sequence of PTPN1 DNA were significantly associated with insulin sensitivity, the team reports.

Another 22 differences in another region of the gene were significantly associated with fasting blood glucose levels.

“We presume that the difference in risk is due to levels or stability of the PTPN1 message being different in people with different variants, which ultimately lead to differences in protein levels.” Bowden said

It’s too soon to think that this genetic information will be immediately useful in identifying high-risk individuals, Bowden cautioned. “It would be necessary to perform a controlled clinical trial to see if they have predictive value.”

Also, variations in other genes are likely to contribute to the risk of developing diabetes, in addition to the lifestyle risk factors such as Obesity, he added.

SOURCE: Diabetes, November 2004.