Furthermore, when examined together, the deletion polymorphism offers an effect, albeit protective, comparable to the widely replicated risk associated with the SNP rs7903146 within the transcription factor TCF7L2. Since these polymorphisms are in an intergenic region, their relation to nearby gene(s) is speculative and further research will need to be conducted to elucidate the mechanism by which they influence risk for T2D. The gene discussed is TCF7L2; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.