Diabetes is a medical condition that results from the body not being able to produce insulin, a hormone which helps convert sugars into glucose molecules and transports the sugars into cells to provide energy for our daily lives. When glucose builds up in the blood, instead of going into cells as it normally should, the buildup of glucose can damage our organs, such as the heart, kidney, eyes and nerves and also potentially lead to changes in some metabolic brain functions.
There is a clear link for genetics being a risk factor for developing diabetes. When a gene mutation occurs, the protein that is made after a gene (or set of genes) is expressed can change the function of a protein. If some parts of a protein are missing, or just changed in the shape it would normally be found in, the protein may not function as it normally would. This can lead to the development of a disease.
Knowing how a gene mutation can lead to different shapes of a protein can help scientists develop medications that can target specific changes in a protein. Moreover, even if a person has a genetic mutation that has been associated with the development of a disease, that does not necessarily mean the person will develop the disease. Certain factors need to be in place for the disease to develop. Some examples include environmental exposure to toxins, or a poor diet.
In the case of diabetes, a person can have a gene mutation in the genes that have been linked to diabetes, but if the person keeps his blood sugar and glucose at a healthy level, he can lower his chance of diabetes developing, because the damage that could have been done to the organs may no longer occur.
The Calpain 10 enzyme (CAPN10), which is produced from the CAPN10 gene, works by breaking down proteins. Certain regions of this gene(which is located at the long arm of chromosome 2) that do not code for any genetic material have been associated with a threefold increase for the risk of Type 2 diabetes in Mexican Americans.
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