New Genetic Disease Associations Found

British researchers have compared 2,000 cases each of seven common diseases with 3,000 control patients to uncover the true potential of the human genome.

The study by the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium unveiled new genetic associations with the disorders, as well as producing further insights into two of the seven diseases.

The scientists found genetic variants associated with the development of bipolar disorder, Crohn’s disease, coronary heart disease, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and hypertension.

The researchers — Peter Donnelly, Miles Parkes, John Todd and colleagues — found one genetic region newly associated with bipolar disorder, and another with coronary artery disease. A separate group of three markers are associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The authors also identify nine new genetic associations for Crohn’s disease and 10 chromosome regions that contain genes related to diabetes.

The scientists say their findings represents a major step towards dissecting the biological bases of such common diseases.

The findings appear in the current issue of the journal Nature Genetics.