These diseases share at least 8 genetic variants. The researchers hope to be able to develop a molecule capable of treating both pathologies.
In the world, more than 380 million people suffer from type 2 diabetes. They are 2.2 million in France. In these patients, cardiovascular complications represent the leading cause of death. So much so that a diabetic patient is immediately considered a heart patient.
In fact, suffering from this disease triples the risk of suffering from heart failure, stroke or silent myocardial infarction. Pathologies closely related because they share several genetic factors, according to a study presented on Monday, September 4 in Nature Genetics.
8 variants identified
Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed the genomic sequences of more than 250,000 men and women from Europe, South and East Asia.
They first identified 16 new genes that promote type 2 diabetes, as well as a new genetic risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
They also found that most of the DNA regions associated with high risk of diabetes are also linked to higher risk of heart and vascular damage.
For 8 of these sites, the researchers were able to clearly identify the genes at work. These genetic variants common to both pathologies play a role in the regulation of immunity, cell proliferation as well as in the development of the heart.
Therapeutic track
At the end of their work, the scientists found that the association between these different genes went in only one direction: it is indeed the genetic vulnerability to type 2 diabetes which is associated with that of cardiovascular diseases, and not the ‘reverse. In other words, type 2 diabetes is the bedrock of heart ailments.
For the authors, these discoveries could pave the way for the development of molecules capable of treating both diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, drugs already on the market target these regions, indicate the authors. These include icosapent, an omega 3 found in fish oil.
.
