Genetic Basis of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in Africans: Impact on Precision Medicine.

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

Recent advances in genomics provide opportunities for novel understanding of the biology of human traits with the goal of improving human health. Here, we review recent obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D)-related genomic studies in African populations and discuss the implications of limited genomics studies on health disparity and precision medicine.

RECENT FINDINGS:

Genome-wide association studies in Africans have yielded genetic discovery that would otherwise not be possible; these include identification of novel loci associated with obesity (SEMA-4D, PRKCA, WARS2), metabolic syndrome (CA-10, CTNNA3), and T2D (AGMO, ZRANB3). ZRANB3 was recently demonstrated to influence beta cell mass and insulin response. Despite these promising results, genomic studies in African populations are still limited and thus genomics tools and approaches such as polygenic risk scores and precision medicine are likely to have limited utility in Africans with the unacceptable possibility of exacerbating prevailing health disparities. African populations provide unique opportunities for increasing our understanding of the genetic basis of cardiometabolic disorders. We highlight the need for more coordinated and sustained efforts to increase the representation of Africans in genomic studies both as participants and scientists.

• Authors: Ayo P Doumatey, Kenneth Ekoru, Adebowale Adeyemo, Charles N Rotimi
• Journal: Current diabetes reports (Curr Diab Rep) Vol. 19 Issue 10 Pg. 105 (09 14 2019) ISSN: 1539-0829 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 31520154 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural, Review)

Topics

• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (genetics)
• Genetic Predisposition to Disease
• Genome-Wide Association Study
• Humans
• Obesity (genetics)
• Precision Medicine