New Delhi, Nov 12 - Type 2 diabetes, a lifelong chronic disease, has a neural connection with the human body, according to a study conducted by genomic scientist and clinical partners, an official said Monday.
The Indian Diabetes Consortium, a pan-India initiative led by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in collaboration with All India Institute of Medical Science, had conducted a study which brought to light a candidate gene called TMEM163, implicated in this disease.
The gene is a vesicular transporter in nerve terminals, said the study.
The study established a plausible mechanism of action for TMEM163 through impaired insulin secretion. The work involved 12,535 Indians, said an official.
The breakthrough represents the triumph of Indian Functional Genomics Capacity, whose nucleation started almost 15 years ago under the CSIR umbrella with an objective to advance understanding towards complex diseases prevalent amongst Indians, said Samir K. Brahmachari, director general, CSIR.
