Genetic Insights Reveal New Pathways to Cardiometabolic Disease in Indians: World DNA Day Highlights Early Lifestyle Disease Risks

A recent genetic study of 3,000 individuals of Asian Indian descent has identified two new genetic pathways that contribute to cardiometabolic disease, including heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. The research, led by Dharambir Sanghera, Ph.D., of the University of Oklahoma, was published in PLOS Medicine and highlights how genetic differences affect the body’s lipidome—the range of fats and lipid metabolites—and their link to disease risk.

The study focused on Asian Indians, a population with a heightened susceptibility to heart disease and diabetes, to address a gap in prior research that has predominantly studied individuals of European descent. By analyzing both the genome and lipidome, researchers found that specific lipid metabolites—small molecules produced when the body processes fats—are genetically linked to disease outcomes.

One of the identified metabolites was found to be lower in individuals with heart disease, suggesting that increasing its levels through dietary changes or targeted therapies could potentially reduce disease risk. The second metabolite, when elevated, was associated with increased inflammation and insulin resistance, a key precursor to type 2 diabetes. Researchers noted that blocking the genetic pathway responsible for this metabolite’s overproduction might lower diabetes risk through future therapeutic interventions.

“These findings not only help us understand disease better but could be valuable in making recommendations for therapeutic interventions,” said Sanghera, a professor of pediatric genetics at the OU College of Medicine and a research member of the OU Health Harold Hamm Diabetes Center.

The research underscores the importance of studying diverse populations to uncover population-specific genetic factors in disease. Most large-scale genetic studies have historically centered on European ancestry groups, potentially overlooking variations that affect other communities. By focusing on Asian Indians, this study contributes to a more inclusive understanding of how genetics influence cardiometabolic health across different groups.

The study was published today in PLOS Medicine and represents a step toward precision medicine approaches for preventing and treating heart disease and diabetes. While the findings reveal promising targets for future therapies, researchers emphasized that further investigation is needed to determine safe and effective ways to modulate these lipid pathways in clinical settings.