A groundbreaking study of nearly 2,300 extremely obese diabetes patients, led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), has identified genes associated with unhealthy liver function.
This is believed to be the nation's first large-scale genome-wide association study in overweight patients with diabetes.
Results of the study, done in conjunction with the Geisinger Health System, will be presented at the 64th annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Nov. 1-5 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
The study—Genome-wide analysis identifies loci associated with total bilirubin levels, steatosis, and mild fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease—looked at how genomic factors affect the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It was selected for presentation from among a record 3,139 submittals from around the world proposed for what also is known as The Liver Meeting 2013.
"These genetic factors could help us identify patients who are most at risk of developing non-alcoholic forms of fatty-liver disease (NAFLD), and which patients may be more likely to progress to severe forms of NAFLD, such as steatohepatitis (NASH)," said Dr. Johanna DiStefano, the study's principal investigator and lead author. Dr. DiStefano is Director of TGen's Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Division.
NAFLD is the build up of extra fat in liver cells, not caused by alcohol. It is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease. NASH is liver inflammation and damage caused by a buildup of fat in the liver, not caused by alcohol.
"Our results showed evidence for new genetic loci that may play a role in the biological mechanisms of NAFLD and NASH," said Dr. Glenn S. Gerhard, a faculty member of the Geisinger Obesity Institute and a co-investigator of the study.
"We discovered genes that may help identify those patients most at risk for the types of liver disease so severe that they could require transplants," said Dr. Gerhard, Administrative Director for the Institute for Personalized Medicine at Penn State University-Hershey.
Patients included in this study were those with extreme obesity enrolled in a bariatric surgery program.
The study identified evidence for association with markers in the neurocan gene (NCAN) on chromosome 19p12, and rs2501843 on chromosome 1.
Explore further: Gene variant ID could lead to better fatty liver disease diagnosis
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
Gene variant ID could lead to better fatty liver disease diagnosis
Apr 23, 2013
More patients could be diagnosed earlier with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) after a cohort study presented at the International Liver CongressTM 2013 identified variants within four genes significantly associated ...
Weight loss surgery alters fatty liver disease genes
Aug 06, 2013
Research has shown that weight loss surgery can benefit obese individuals in ways that go beyond shedding pounds, for example by causing early remission of type 2 diabetes. Now scientists have found that the surgery can also ...
Liver disease may raise risk of heart problems, study says
Jun 24, 2013
(HealthDay)—A new study adds to growing evidence of a link between a common liver disease associated with obesity and high risk for heart disease.
Modest alcohol intake associated with less inflammation in patients with common liver disease
May 15, 2012
NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) is the most common type of liver disease in the developed world, affecting up to one-third of the US population. NAFLD is often associated with obesity and other parameters of the ...
NAFLD increases the risk of early atherosclerotic lesions
Apr 26, 2013
A study presented today at the International Liver Congress 2013 – which evaluated the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), early predictors of atherosclerosis and the 10-year Framingham risk ...
Recommended for you
What makes us left or right handed? New study rules out strong genetic factors
25 minutes ago
Around 10 per cent of the UK is left handed—and that percentage remains consistent in many populations around the world. But why exactly someone is left or right handed remains unclear.
Study identifies gene for alcohol preference in rats
5 hours ago
(Medical Xpress)—Selectively bred strains of laboratory rats that either prefer or avoid alcohol have been a mainstay of alcohol research for decades. So-called alcohol-preferring rats voluntarily consume much greater amounts ...
Researchers ferret out function of autism gene
Sep 30, 2013
Researchers say it's clear that some cases of autism are hereditary, but have struggled to draw direct links between the condition and particular genes. Now a team at the Johns Hopkins University School of ...
Researchers uncover 48 new genetic variants associated with multiple sclerosis
Sep 30, 2013
Scientists of the International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium (IMSGC) have identified an additional 48 genetic variants influencing the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. This work nearly doubles the number of ...
A new chapter in acute lymphoblastic leukemia research
Sep 30, 2013
There is no final chapter in the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia. Like many resources and tools in biomedicine, researchers are rewriting and expanding this metaphorical book. The encyclopedia has grown well ...
Obesity gene testing offers psychological benefit
Sep 29, 2013
(HealthDay)—Results from genetic testing for weight gain-related genes may offer psychological benefits beyond their limited clinical utility, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of ...
User comments
© Medical Xpress 2011-2013, Phys.org network
A groundbreaking study of nearly 2,300 extremely obese diabetes patients, led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), has identified genes associated with unhealthy liver function.
This is believed to be the nation's first large-scale genome-wide association study in overweight patients with diabetes.
Results of the study, done in conjunction with the Geisinger Health System, will be presented at the 64th annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases Nov. 1-5 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
The study—Genome-wide analysis identifies loci associated with total bilirubin levels, steatosis, and mild fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease—looked at how genomic factors affect the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It was selected for presentation from among a record 3,139 submittals from around the world proposed for what also is known as The Liver Meeting 2013.
"These genetic factors could help us identify patients who are most at risk of developing non-alcoholic forms of fatty-liver disease (NAFLD), and which patients may be more likely to progress to severe forms of NAFLD, such as steatohepatitis (NASH)," said Dr. Johanna DiStefano, the study's principal investigator and lead author. Dr. DiStefano is Director of TGen's Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Division.
NAFLD is the build up of extra fat in liver cells, not caused by alcohol. It is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease. NASH is liver inflammation and damage caused by a buildup of fat in the liver, not caused by alcohol.
"Our results showed evidence for new genetic loci that may play a role in the biological mechanisms of NAFLD and NASH," said Dr. Glenn S. Gerhard, a faculty member of the Geisinger Obesity Institute and a co-investigator of the study.
"We discovered genes that may help identify those patients most at risk for the types of liver disease so severe that they could require transplants," said Dr. Gerhard, Administrative Director for the Institute for Personalized Medicine at Penn State University-Hershey.
Patients included in this study were those with extreme obesity enrolled in a bariatric surgery program.
The study identified evidence for association with markers in the neurocan gene (NCAN) on chromosome 19p12, and rs2501843 on chromosome 1.
Explore further: Gene variant ID could lead to better fatty liver disease diagnosis
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
Gene variant ID could lead to better fatty liver disease diagnosis
Apr 23, 2013
More patients could be diagnosed earlier with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) after a cohort study presented at the International Liver CongressTM 2013 identified variants within four genes significantly associated ...
Weight loss surgery alters fatty liver disease genes
Aug 06, 2013
Research has shown that weight loss surgery can benefit obese individuals in ways that go beyond shedding pounds, for example by causing early remission of type 2 diabetes. Now scientists have found that the surgery can also ...
Liver disease may raise risk of heart problems, study says
Jun 24, 2013
(HealthDay)—A new study adds to growing evidence of a link between a common liver disease associated with obesity and high risk for heart disease.
Modest alcohol intake associated with less inflammation in patients with common liver disease
May 15, 2012
NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) is the most common type of liver disease in the developed world, affecting up to one-third of the US population. NAFLD is often associated with obesity and other parameters of the ...
NAFLD increases the risk of early atherosclerotic lesions
Apr 26, 2013
A study presented today at the International Liver Congress 2013 – which evaluated the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), early predictors of atherosclerosis and the 10-year Framingham risk ...
Recommended for you
What makes us left or right handed? New study rules out strong genetic factors
25 minutes ago
Around 10 per cent of the UK is left handed—and that percentage remains consistent in many populations around the world. But why exactly someone is left or right handed remains unclear.
Study identifies gene for alcohol preference in rats
5 hours ago
(Medical Xpress)—Selectively bred strains of laboratory rats that either prefer or avoid alcohol have been a mainstay of alcohol research for decades. So-called alcohol-preferring rats voluntarily consume much greater amounts ...
Researchers ferret out function of autism gene
Sep 30, 2013
Researchers say it's clear that some cases of autism are hereditary, but have struggled to draw direct links between the condition and particular genes. Now a team at the Johns Hopkins University School of ...
Researchers uncover 48 new genetic variants associated with multiple sclerosis
Sep 30, 2013
Scientists of the International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium (IMSGC) have identified an additional 48 genetic variants influencing the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. This work nearly doubles the number of ...
A new chapter in acute lymphoblastic leukemia research
Sep 30, 2013
There is no final chapter in the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia. Like many resources and tools in biomedicine, researchers are rewriting and expanding this metaphorical book. The encyclopedia has grown well ...
Obesity gene testing offers psychological benefit
Sep 29, 2013
(HealthDay)—Results from genetic testing for weight gain-related genes may offer psychological benefits beyond their limited clinical utility, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of ...
User comments
© Medical Xpress 2011-2013, Phys.org network
Obesity gene testing for obesity seem limited to improving consumers weight control intentions and motivation rather than actual dietary behavior.
ReplyDelete