Recent progress in the genetics of diabetes

Nearly 21 million people in the United States, or 7% of the population, are estimated to have diabetes. The incidence and prevalence of diabetes differ by ethnicity; however, both type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) occur in all groups. The etiology of diabetes is multifactorial, involving both genetic and environmental factors. Advances in technology, leading to the identification of over a dozen candidate genes, have accelerated the search for genetic factors contributing to the risk of diabetes. To date, surprisingly little data exist to suggest there are common genetic pathways leading to development of T1D and T2D. These common forms of diabetes have complex genetic (and environmental) risk factors, making prediction and prevention difficult. Nonetheless, detection of diabetes susceptibility genes may facilitate identification of novel pathways that can serve as therapeutic targets and lead to disease prevention.