Autogen discovers gene link between heart disease and diabetes

Gene-discovery company Autogen (ASX: AGT) has discovered a genetic link between diabetes and heart diseases in humans.

The gene, which offers a new target for drug therapies, could enable people with diabetes to avoid the often-inevitable consequence of heart disease.

Autogen has previously discovered that the gene receptor known as Tanis was abnormally regulated in animal models of diabetes.

The group has now found the receptor is implicated in heart disease and, through human sequencing, found an identical receptor and protein in man.

Autogen's chief operating officer Prof Greg Collier said the company had discovered heart disease could be linked to Tanis via an inflammatory-response protein called serum amyloid A (SAA), which was one of the strongest predictors of heart disease risk.

"Depending on how the blocking of this receptor occurs, we know that it has a lipid clearing effect and think that it might be the cause of why diabetics have a higher risk of heart disease," Collier said.

"So by targeting it, you are helping avoid one of the consequences of diabetes."

More than three in four Australian diabetics die of heart disease, which is up to three times more than in the general population.

Diabetes currently affects 120 million people worldwide, with the figure expected to increase to 240 million by 2010 and 300 million by 2025, illustrating the reason behind the race for a treatment.

"Both the Tanis receptor itself, and its role in cardiovascular disease through the SAA protein show great potential as targets for new treatments," Collier said.

"Heart disease plays such a large part in the increased risk of mortality associated with diabetes, and improvements in treatment will significantly lower deaths.

"A breakthrough like this is a real opportunity to speed up the search for better treatments."

The work has been published in the June issue of the international journal Diabetes.