Genetic Drivers of Pancreatic Islet Function.

ABSTRACT: The majority of gene loci that have been associated with type 2 diabetes play a role in pancreatic islet function. To evaluate the role of islet gene expression in the etiology of diabetes, we sensitized a genetically diverse mouse population with a Western diet high in fat (45% kcal) and sucrose (34%) and carried out genome-wide association mapping of diabetes-related phenotypes. We quantified mRNA abundance in the islets and identified 18,820 expression QTL. We applied mediation analysis to identify candidate causal driver genes at loci that affect the abundance of numerous transcripts. These include two genes previously associated with monogenic diabetes (PDX1 and HNF4A), as well as three genes with nominal association with diabetes-related traits in humans (FAM83E,

SUBMITTER: Keller MP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5937189 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature