Young Arabs could benefit from UAE genes discovery

Mutation may hold key to treatment of hereditary illnesses

ABU DHABI // UAE scientists have uncovered genetic mutations that are responsible for rare diseases in Arab children.

The discovery will help with the early detection and treatment of some of the world’s most serious and rare diseases, doctors said. Dr Mahmoud Taleb Al Ali, director of the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (Cags), which is affiliated to the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, said that a joint research project between Cags and Latifa Hospital revealed links between “12 hereditary rare diseases among Arab children and 16 new genetic mutations in 14 genes”. A study was conducted on 20 patients from the UAE, Jordan, Sudan and Yemen, and the results published in medical journals.

“This boosts efforts in the early detection of rare genetic diseases and for finding effective treatments. These serious disorders usually appear after birth, can deteriorate quickly and may lead to death at an early age,” Dr Al Ali said. One mutation is responsible for Rapson- Mendenhall syndrome – a severe insulin resistance that can result in death as well as developmental complications. Another gene discovered was one that “leads to Beckwith- Weidmann syndrome, a disorder with asymmetrical overgrowth of the organs and increased risk of cancer”, said Dr Fatima Bastaki, consultant paediatrician and clinical geneticist at Latifa Hospital. Dr Abdul Rezzek Hemzah, a senior scientific coordinator at Cags, said that there were more than 8,000 rare genetic disorders worldwide caused by mutated genes.

“Previously, doctors used to diagnose patients mainly depending upon clinical symptoms without getting down to the genetic causes of the diseases,” he said.

This method of diagnosing, Dr Hemzah said, made it difficult to apply preventive measures, early detection and treatment.

“These results are about discovering novel mutations.”

Thanks to research and these discoveries, some diseases can now be detected and prevented at their earliest stages.

With IVF, doctors can now test for these specific mutations, and parents can decide whether they want to go forward with implantation or not, Dr Hemzah said.

“It used to be very frustrating for families with known hereditary diseases to not know if their child will inherit the gene or not,” he said.

“We still have a lot to do. There are still mutations that we still need to discover.”

One of the first participants to speak at the World Government Summit in Dubai this week was also one of the most prominent: Shinzo Abe, the prime minister of Japan. There were many global figures at the event, including current and former heads of state, but Mr Abe’s speech was given prime billing. That makes sense. The UAE’s future is increasingly dependent on its alliances and interactions with its Asian partners. The facts are well-known. Just weeks ago, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, was in New Delhi as guest of honour for Republic Day celebrations. Trade with India is vital, worth hundreds of billions of dirhams per year, making it the UAE’s top trading partner.

Number two on that list is China, the other Asian behemoth. Links with South Korea are equally important, both in terms of imports and particularly in the partnership that is building the Barakah nuclear energy plant in Abu Dhabi. Russian relations continue to matter, even as they conflict with the UAE’s foreign policy in some areas.

And of course the Philippines is a growing regional player and one that the UAE, with hundreds of thousands of Filipino expats, must pay special attention to. With the overwhelming majority of the UAE’s expat population coming from Asian countries, links east of Fujairah will remain important.

These links bring with them immense benefits, but also challenges. One example was demonstrated last week, when, just as Mr Abe was about to leave the United States to fly to the UAE, North Korea fired a missile across the Sea of Japan, to global consternation. Such threats can seriously affect our allies and, therefore, have an impact on the UAE.

Indeed, such challenges can emerge in unexpected areas. The UAE must carefully balance its relations with China, India and Russia, powerful rivals in certain spheres. The incoming US administration also appears to be inching towards confrontation with China over building in the South China Sea. If that happens, it will pose a challenge for the UAE, given our deep ties with both countries.

The UAE’s global alliances are like roots, stretching across the globe. They must be carefully nurtured.