05/03/2014 – Genetic Mutation Could Provide Protection Against Type 2 Diabetes

A new study that was recently published in Nature Genetics was conducted by an international research team but was led by investigators from the Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard and the Massachusetts General Hospital, identified rare mutations in a gene that the researchers say could prevent type 2 diabetes.

The researchers say that if a drug was created that could mimic the protective effects of the discovered mutation it could lead to the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

During the study where 150,000 people with high type 2 diabetes risk factors were studied, it was discovered that the mutation found in the SLC30A8 gene could reduce type 2 diabetes risk by 65%.

To read the ScienceDaily report on this finding follow this link.

To read an abstract of the study follow this link.

View the VOA News report below.