MUNICH, Germany, Dec. 7 A German study of polycystic ovary syndrome has provided further evidence that calpain-10, the diabetes gene, is related to PCOS susceptibility. PCOS, which occurs when ovarian cysts block a woman's normal ovulation and menstrual cycle, affects up to 5 percent of the female population and scientists say those diagnosed with the disease have up to a seven-fold risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.Although the problem sounds straightforward, the disease is complex, originating from both multiple genetic components and environmental factors. And for that reason, researchers say they believe a gene related to diabetes may also play a role in the onset of PCOS.A study of 146 PCOS patients has found the diabetes gene (calpain-10) is an interesting candidate for explaining the syndrome. The findings by the researchers from the GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, the University of Duisburg-Essen, Maximilians University, Munich Technical University, and the Heinrich Heine University-Dusseldorf, are detailed in the online edition of the Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism.Copyright 2006 by UPI
