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Plasma trehalase activity and diabetes mellitus
1Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Biochemical Genetics
|October 1, 1989
Summary
Plasma trehalase activity, an enzyme that breaks down trehalose, shows genetic polymorphism. High activity phenotypes are significantly associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Human Physiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Trehalase is an enzyme crucial for trehalose hydrolysis, yielding glucose.
- Its presence in human tissues and plasma suggests roles in carbohydrate metabolism.
- Trehalose metabolism is implicated in carbohydrate transport mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate trehalase activity in normal and diabetic subjects.
- To explore the genetic basis of trehalase activity.
- To determine the association between plasma trehalase activity and diabetes mellitus.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of plasma trehalase activity frequency distribution in a human population.
- Comparison of mean trehalase activity between non-diabetic and diabetic individuals.
- Statistical tests (Woolf and Haldane) to assess the association between trehalase phenotype and diabetes.
Main Results:
- Plasma trehalase activity exhibits a bimodal distribution, indicating genetic polymorphism with two main phenotypes: low-activity (27%) and high-activity (73%).
- Diabetic subjects showed significantly different mean plasma trehalase activity compared to non-diabetics.
- A strong, statistically significant association was found between the high-activity trehalase phenotype and diabetes mellitus.
Conclusions:
- Plasma trehalase activity is genetically determined in the human population.
- Individuals with high plasma trehalase activity are more susceptible to developing diabetes mellitus.
- This finding suggests a potential biomarker for diabetes risk assessment.
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