Review

Rev Diabet Stud, 2005, 2(4):192-207

DOI 10.1900/RDS.2005.2.192

Genes Mediating Environment Interactions in Type 1 Diabetes

Erik Biros, Margaret A. Jordan, Alan G. Baxter

Comparative Genomics Centre, Molecular Sciences Building 21, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, Australia.
Address correspondence to: Alan G. Baxter, e-mail: alan.baxter@jcu.edu.au

Abstract

The relative risk of type 1 (autoimmune) diabetes mellitus for a sibling of an affected patient is fifteen times that of the general population, indicating a strong genetic contribution to the disease. Yet, the incidence of diabetes in most Western communities has doubled every fifteen years since the Second World War - a rate of increase that can only possibly be explained by a major etiological effect of environment. Here, the authors provide a selective review of risk factors identified to date. Recent reports of linkage of type 1 diabetes to genes encoding pathogen pattern recognition molecules, such as toll-like receptors, are discussed, providing a testable hypothesis regarding a mechanism by which genetic and environmental influences on disease progress are integrated.

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