Molecular Type 2 Diabetes Biomarker Identified
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 23 Feb 2016 |

Image: The HiScan SQ scanner (Photo courtesy of Illumina).
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is an established risk factor for a wide range of vascular diseases, including ischemic stroke (IS) as well as heart attacks, neuropathy and blindness.
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic illness characterized by the presence of elevated blood glucose levels and it accounts for between 80% and 90% of diabetes cases and is one of the major cardiovascular risk factors.
Scientists at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (Barcelona, Spain) investigated DNA methylation in the blood samples of a cohort of 355 stroke patients using a state-of-the-art technique that allows them to study more than 450,000 methylation points in the genome. In addition, the study compared the methylation profiles of diabetics and non-diabetics as well as their levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), a biomarker that indicates blood glucose levels over the past three months.
DNA samples were extracted from whole peripheral blood collected in 10 mL EDTA tubes. The Chemagic Magnetic Separation Module I system (Chemagen, Baesweiler, Germany) was used for DNA isolation in one cohort, and the Autopure LS (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) in another. Genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 Beadchip (Illumina Netherlands; Eindhoven, Netherlands) and the arrays were scanned with the Illumina HiScan SQ scanner.
The study was subsequently replicated in two cohorts from independent populations, with 167 and 645 patients respectively, confirming the relationship between Thioredoxin Interacting Protein (TXNIP) methylation, diabetes and glucose level dysfunction. Methylation of TXNIP was inversely and intensely associated with HbA1c levels specifically related to diabetic patients with poor control of glucose levels. The authors concluded that hypomethylation of the TXNIP gene is related to type 2 DM. The inverse relationship between TXNIP methylation and HbA1c values suggests that TXNIP hypomethylation is a consequence of sustained hyperglycemia levels.
Carolina Soriano-Tárraga, PhD, the lead author of the study said, “The methylation of this gene could be used as an early biomarker of dysfunction in the control of glucose levels. We are currently studying the implications and specific role of this gene in diabetes. In the future it could provide a possible therapeutic target for treating diabetes or controlling glucose concentrations.” The study was published originally online on December 7, 2015, in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.
Related Links:
Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute
Chemagen
Illumina Netherlands
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic illness characterized by the presence of elevated blood glucose levels and it accounts for between 80% and 90% of diabetes cases and is one of the major cardiovascular risk factors.
Scientists at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (Barcelona, Spain) investigated DNA methylation in the blood samples of a cohort of 355 stroke patients using a state-of-the-art technique that allows them to study more than 450,000 methylation points in the genome. In addition, the study compared the methylation profiles of diabetics and non-diabetics as well as their levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), a biomarker that indicates blood glucose levels over the past three months.
DNA samples were extracted from whole peripheral blood collected in 10 mL EDTA tubes. The Chemagic Magnetic Separation Module I system (Chemagen, Baesweiler, Germany) was used for DNA isolation in one cohort, and the Autopure LS (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) in another. Genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 Beadchip (Illumina Netherlands; Eindhoven, Netherlands) and the arrays were scanned with the Illumina HiScan SQ scanner.
The study was subsequently replicated in two cohorts from independent populations, with 167 and 645 patients respectively, confirming the relationship between Thioredoxin Interacting Protein (TXNIP) methylation, diabetes and glucose level dysfunction. Methylation of TXNIP was inversely and intensely associated with HbA1c levels specifically related to diabetic patients with poor control of glucose levels. The authors concluded that hypomethylation of the TXNIP gene is related to type 2 DM. The inverse relationship between TXNIP methylation and HbA1c values suggests that TXNIP hypomethylation is a consequence of sustained hyperglycemia levels.
Carolina Soriano-Tárraga, PhD, the lead author of the study said, “The methylation of this gene could be used as an early biomarker of dysfunction in the control of glucose levels. We are currently studying the implications and specific role of this gene in diabetes. In the future it could provide a possible therapeutic target for treating diabetes or controlling glucose concentrations.” The study was published originally online on December 7, 2015, in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.
Related Links:
Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute
Chemagen
Illumina Netherlands
Latest Clinical Chem. News
- POC Breath Diagnostic System to Detect Pneumonia-Causing Pathogens
- Online Tool Detects Drug Exposure Directly from Patient Samples
- Chemical Imaging Probe Could Track and Treat Prostate Cancer
- Mismatch Between Two Common Kidney Function Tests Indicates Serious Health Problems
- VOCs Show Promise for Early Multi-Cancer Detection
- Portable Raman Spectroscopy Offers Cost-Effective Kidney Disease Diagnosis at POC
- Gold Nanoparticles to Improve Accuracy of Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis
- Simultaneous Cell Isolation Technology Improves Cancer Diagnostic Accuracy
- Simple Non-Invasive Hair-Based Test Could Speed ALS Diagnosis
- Paper Strip Saliva Test Detects Elevated Uric Acid Levels Without Blood Draws
- Prostate Cancer Markers Based on Chemical Make-Up of Calcifications to Speed Up Detection
- Breath Test Could Help Detect Blood Cancers
- ML-Powered Gas Sensors to Detect Pathogens and AMR at POC
- Saliva-Based Cancer Detection Technology Eliminates Need for Complex Sample Preparation
- Skin Swabs Could Detect Parkinson’s Years Before Symptoms Appear
- New Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Designed to Meet Growing Demands of Modern Labs
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
POC Breath Diagnostic System to Detect Pneumonia-Causing Pathogens
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia, particularly in lung transplant recipients and patients with structural lung disease. Its ability to form... Read more
Online Tool Detects Drug Exposure Directly from Patient Samples
Doctors often rely on patient interviews and medical records to determine what medications a person has taken, but this information is frequently incomplete. People may forget drugs they used, take over-the-counter... Read moreHematology
view channel
MRD Tests Could Predict Survival in Leukemia Patients
Acute myeloid leukemia is an aggressive blood cancer that disrupts normal blood cell production and often relapses even after intensive treatment. Clinicians currently lack early, reliable markers to predict... Read more
Platelet Activity Blood Test in Middle Age Could Identify Early Alzheimer’s Risk
Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease remains one of the biggest unmet needs in neurology, particularly because the biological changes underlying the disorder begin decades before memory symptoms appear.... Read more
Microvesicles Measurement Could Detect Vascular Injury in Sickle Cell Disease Patients
Assessing disease severity in sickle cell disease (SCD) remains challenging, especially when trying to predict hemolysis, vascular injury, and risk of complications such as vaso-occlusive crises.... Read more
ADLM’s New Coagulation Testing Guidance to Improve Care for Patients on Blood Thinners
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are one of the most common types of blood thinners. Patients take them to prevent a host of complications that could arise from blood clotting, including stroke, deep... Read moreImmunology
view channel
Blood Test Could Identify Colon Cancer Patients to Benefit from NSAIDs
Colon cancer remains a major cause of cancer-related illness, with many patients facing relapse even after surgery and chemotherapy. Up to 40% of people with stage III disease experience recurrence, highlighting... Read moreBlood Test Could Detect Adverse Immunotherapy Effects
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed cancer treatment, but they can also trigger serious immune-related adverse events that damage healthy organs and may become life-threatening if not detected early.... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
Breakthroughs in Microbial Analysis to Enhance Disease Prediction
Microorganisms shape human health, ecosystems, and the planet’s climate, yet identifying them and understanding how they are related remains a major scientific challenge. Even with modern DNA sequencing,... Read more
Blood-Based Diagnostic Method Could Identify Pediatric LRTIs
Lower-respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are a leading cause of illness and death worldwide, and pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death in children under five, claiming the lives of over... Read morePathology
view channel
Rapid Low-Cost Tests Can Prevent Child Deaths from Contaminated Medicinal Syrups
Medicinal syrups contaminated with toxic chemicals have caused the deaths of hundreds of children worldwide, exposing a critical gap in how these products are tested before reaching patients.... Read more
Tumor Signals in Saliva and Blood Enable Non-Invasive Monitoring of Head and Neck Cancer
Head and neck cancers are among the most aggressive malignancies worldwide, with nearly 900,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Monitoring these cancers for recurrence or relapse typically relies on tissue... Read more
Common Health Issues Can Influence New Blood Tests for Alzheimer’s Disease
Blood-based tests for Alzheimer’s disease are transforming diagnosis by offering a simpler alternative to spinal taps and brain imaging. However, many people evaluated at memory clinics also live with... Read more
Blood Test Formula Identifies Chronic Liver Disease Patients with Higher Cancer Risk
Chronic liver disease affects millions worldwide and can progress silently to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the deadliest cancers globally. While surveillance guidelines exist for patients with... Read moreTechnology
view channel
Machine Learning Models Diagnose ALS Earlier Through Blood Biomarkers
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease that is notoriously difficult to diagnose in its early stages. Early symptoms often overlap with other neurological... Read more
Artificial Intelligence Model Could Accelerate Rare Disease Diagnosis
Identifying which genetic variants actually cause disease remains one of the biggest challenges in genomic medicine. Each person carries tens of thousands of DNA changes, yet only a few meaningfully alter... Read moreIndustry
view channel
BD and Penn Institute Collaborate to Advance Immunotherapy through Flow Cytometry
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Institute for Immunology and Immune Health (I3H, Philadelphia, PA, USA) at the University... Read more








