Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for determining if a subject is at increased risk to develop obesity or pathology related to obesity by determining the presence of a haplotype comprising three specific SNPs in a DNA or RNA sample of this subject and/or an elevated serum ENPP1 protein concentration. The present invention also relates to a kit and to an isolated nucleic sequence, vector or recombinant cell comprises said ENPP1 gene haplotype. The invention further comprises a method for selecting a compound for the treatment or the prevention of obesity or pathology related to obesity and a method for determining the efficacy of a drug to reduce the risk of obesity or pathology related to obesity in a patient.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for determining if a subject is at increased risk to develop obesity or pathology related to obesity by determining the presence of a haplotype comprising three specific SNPs in a DNA or RNA sample of this subject and/or an elevated serum ENPP1 protein concentration. The present invention also relates to a kit and to an isolated nucleic sequence, vector or recombinant cell comprises said ENPP1 gene haplotype. The invention further comprises a method for selecting a compound for the treatment or the prevention of obesity or pathology related to obesity and a method for determining the efficacy of a drug to reduce the risk of obesity or pathology related to obesity in a patient.

Abstract: The present invention provides means and methods for risk assessment and/or diagnosis and/or prognosis of obesity and/or type II diabetes in humans, based on the detection of nucleic acid biomarkers belonging to, or associated with, a set of SNPs in the fatso (FTO) gene. The present invention also provides means and methods for identifying a SNP haplotype associated with obesity and/or type II diabetes susceptibility in humans, for selecting pharmaceutical agents useful in prevention and/or treatment of obesity and/or type II diabetes in humans, for haplotyping the fatso (FTO) gene in humans.

Abstract: The invention relates to new methods of diagnosis of obesity, in particular morbid obesity, based on the identification of polymorphism in an intron and/or the promoter region of the WAC gene, to method of screening potential obesity therapeutics, to pharmaceutical composition comprising said therapeutics, to transgenic non-human mammal.

Abstract: The invention relates to new methods of diagnosis and therapy of obesity, in particular morbid obesity, based on the identification of polymorphisms in the 5? region of the gad2 gene.

Abstract: The invention pertains to the field of human genetics and relates to new methods of diagnosis and therapy of type 2 diabetes (T2D), early onset type 2 diabetes and Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) in a human subject, based on the identification of the A185G variation located at exon 2 of the tieg2 gene as well as the G-1534C, 54a, 304a, +659 C>T (Thr220Met) and +1039 G>T (A1a347Ser) variations.

Abstract: The invention relates to the observed tight linkage between DNA polymorphisms in the glucokinase gene (GCK) on the short arm of chromosome 7, and NIDDM in a cohort of sixteen French families having MODY. It further relates to identification of mutations in GCK and their linkage with diabetes in particular families are disclosed. This invention provides the first evidence implicating specific mutations in a gene involved in glucose metabolism in the pathogenesis of NIDDM. The invention further discloses the isolation and characterization of human pancreatic .beta.-cell GCK and a method for searching for mutations that cause early-onset NIDDM. To assess the effect of these mutations on glucokinase activity, a method is disclosed for generating an .alpha.-carbon backbone model for human glucokinase based on the crystal structure of the structurally-related yeast hexokinase B.