scholarly journals Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals First Locus for Anorexia Nervosa and Metabolic Correlations

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. L. Duncan ◽  
L. M. Thornton ◽  
A. Hinney ◽  
M. J. Daly ◽  
P. F. Sullivan ◽  
...  

AbstractAnorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious eating disorder characterized by restriction of energy intake relative to requirements, resulting in abnormally low body weight. It has a lifetime prevalence of approximately 1%, disproportionately affects females1,2, and has no well replicated evidence of effective pharmacological or psychological treatments despite high morbidity and mortality2. Twin studies support a genetic basis for the observed aggregation of AN in families3, with heritability estimates of 48%-74%4. Although initial genome-wide association studies (GWASs) were underpowered5,6, evidence suggested that signals for AN would be detected with increased power5. We present a GWAS of 3,495 AN cases and 10,982 controls with one genome-wide significant locus (index variant rs4622308, p=4.3x10−9) in a region (chr12:56,372,585-56,482,185) which includes six genes. The SNP-chip heritability of AN from these data is 0.20 (SE=0.02), suggesting that a substantial fraction of the twin-based heritability stems from common genetic variation. Using these GWAS results, we also find significant positive genetic correlations with schizophrenia, neuroticism, educational attainment, and HDL cholesterol, and significant negative genetic correlations with body mass, insulin, glucose, and lipid phenotypes. Our results support the reconceptualization of AN as a disorder with both psychiatric and metabolic components.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline M. Nievergelt ◽  
Adam X. Maihofer ◽  
Torsten Klengel ◽  
Elizabeth G. Atkinson ◽  
Chia-Yen Chen ◽  
...  

AbstractPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common and debilitating disorder. The risk of PTSD following trauma is heritable, but robust common variants have yet to be identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We have collected a multi-ethnic cohort including over 30,000 PTSD cases and 170,000 controls. We first demonstrate significant genetic correlations across 60 PTSD cohorts to evaluate the comparability of these phenotypically heterogeneous studies. In this largest GWAS meta-analysis of PTSD to date we identify a total of 6 genome-wide significant loci, 4 in European and 2 in African-ancestry analyses. Follow-up analyses incorporated local ancestry and sex-specific effects, and functional studies. Along with other novel genes, a non-coding RNA (ncRNA) and a Parkinson’s Disease gene,PARK2, were associated with PTSD. Consistent with previous reports, SNP-based heritability estimates for PTSD range between 10-20%. Despite a significant shared liability between PTSD and major depressive disorder, we show evidence that some of our loci may be specific to PTSD. These results demonstrate the role of genetic variation contributing to the biology of differential risk for PTSD and the necessity of expanding GWAS beyond European ancestry.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel L. McCartney ◽  
Josine L. Min ◽  
Rebecca C. Richmond ◽  
Ake T. Lu ◽  
Maria K. Sobczyk ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Biological aging estimators derived from DNA methylation data are heritable and correlate with morbidity and mortality. Consequently, identification of genetic and environmental contributors to the variation in these measures in populations has become a major goal in the field. Results Leveraging DNA methylation and SNP data from more than 40,000 individuals, we identify 137 genome-wide significant loci, of which 113 are novel, from genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analyses of four epigenetic clocks and epigenetic surrogate markers for granulocyte proportions and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 levels, respectively. We find evidence for shared genetic loci associated with the Horvath clock and expression of transcripts encoding genes linked to lipid metabolism and immune function. Notably, these loci are independent of those reported to regulate DNA methylation levels at constituent clock CpGs. A polygenic score for GrimAge acceleration showed strong associations with adiposity-related traits, educational attainment, parental longevity, and C-reactive protein levels. Conclusion This study illuminates the genetic architecture underlying epigenetic aging and its shared genetic contributions with lifestyle factors and longevity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Oguri ◽  
K Kato ◽  
H Horibe ◽  
T Fujimaki ◽  
J Sakuma ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The circulating concentrations of triglycerides, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol have a substantial genetic component. Although previous genome-wide association studies identified various genes and loci related to plasma lipid levels, those studies were conducted in a cross-sectional manner. Purpose The purpose of the study was to identify genetic variants that confer susceptibility to hypertriglyceridemia, hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia, and hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia in Japanese. We have now performed longitudinal exome-wide association studies (EWASs) to identify novel loci for dyslipidemia by examining temporal changes in serum lipid profiles. Methods Longitudinal EWASs (mean follow-up period, 5 years) for hypertriglyceridemia (2056 case, 3966 controls), hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia (698 cases, 5324 controls), and hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia (2769 cases, 3251 controls) were performed with Illumina Human Exome arrays. The relation of genotypes of 24,691 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that passed quality control to dyslipidemia-related traits was examined with the generalized estimating equation (GEE). To compensate for multiple comparisons of genotypes with each of the three conditions, we applied Bonferroni's correction for statistical significance of association. Replication studies with cross-sectional data were performed for hypertriglyceridemia (2685 cases, 4703 controls), hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia (1947 cases, 6146 controls), and hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia (1719 cases, 5833 controls). Results Longitudinal EWASs revealed that 30 SNPs were significantly (P<2.03 × 10–6 by GEE) associated with hypertriglyceridemia, 46 SNPs with hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia, and 25 SNPs with hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia. After examination of the relation of identified SNPs to serum lipid profiles, linkage disequilibrium, and results of the previous genome-wide association studies, we newly identified rs74416240 of TCHP, rs925368 of GIT2, rs7969300 of ATXN2, and rs12231744 of NAA25 as a susceptibility loci for hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia; and rs34902660 of SLC17A3 and rs1042127 of CDSN for hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia. These SNPs were not in linkage disequilibrium with those previously reported to be associated with dyslipidemia, indicating independent effects of the SNPs identified in the present study on serum concentrations of HDL-cholesterol or LDL-cholesterol in Japanese. According to allele frequency data from the 1000 Genomes project database, five of the six identified SNPs were monomorphic or rare variants in European populations. In the replication study, all six SNPs were associated with dyslipidemia-related phenotypes. Conclusion We have thus identified six novel loci that confer susceptibility to hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia or hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia. Determination of genotypes for these SNPs at these loci may prove informative for assessment of the genetic risk for dyslipidemia in Japanese. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Terzikhan ◽  
Fangui Sun ◽  
Fien M. Verhamme ◽  
Hieab H.H. Adams ◽  
Daan Loth ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundAlthough several genome wide association studies (GWAS) have investigated the genetics of pulmonary ventilatory function, little is known about the genetic factors that influence gas exchange.AimTo investigate the heritability of, and genetic variants associated with the diffusing capacity of the lung.MethodsGWAS was performed on diffusing capacity, measured by carbon monoxide uptake (DLCO) and per alveolar volume (DLCO/VA) using the single-breath technique, in 8,372 individuals from two population-based cohort studies, the Rotterdam Study and the Framingham Heart Study. Heritability was estimated in related (n=6,246) and unrelated (n=3,286) individuals.ResultsHeritability of DLCO and DLCO/VA ranged between 23% and 28% in unrelated individuals and between 45% and 49% in related individuals. Meta-analysis identified a genetic variant in GPR126 that is significantly associated with DLCO/VA. Gene expression analysis of GPR126 in human lung tissue revealed a decreased expression in patients with COPD and subjects with decreased DLCO/VA.ConclusionDLCO and DLCO/VA are heritable traits, with a considerable proportion of variance explained by genetics. A functional variant in GPR126 gene region was significantly associated with DLCO/VA. Pulmonary GPR126 expression was decreased in patients with COPD.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2386
Author(s):  
Pierre-Olivier Hébert ◽  
Martin Laforest ◽  
Dong Xu ◽  
Marie Ciotola ◽  
Mélanie Cadieux ◽  
...  

Bacterial leaf spot of lettuce, caused by Xanthomonas hortorum pv. vitians, is an economically important disease worldwide. For instance, it caused around 4 million CAD in losses in only a few months during the winter of 1992 in Florida. Because only one pesticide is registered to control this disease in Canada, the development of lettuce cultivars tolerant to bacterial leaf spot remains the most promising approach to reduce the incidence and severity of the disease in lettuce fields. The lack of information about the genetic diversity of the pathogen, however, impairs breeding programs, especially when disease resistance is tested on newly developed lettuce germplasm lines. To evaluate the diversity of X. hortorum pv. vitians, a multilocus sequence analysis was performed on 694 isolates collected in Eastern Canada through the summers of 2014 to 2017 and two isolates in 1996 and 2007. All isolates tested were clustered into five phylogroups. Six pathotypes were identified following pathogenicity tests conducted in greenhouses, but when phylogroups were compared with pathotypes, no correlation could be drawn. However, in vitro production of xanthan and xanthomonadins was investigated, and isolates with higher production of xanthomonadins were generally causing less severe symptoms on the tolerant cultivar Little Gem. Whole-genome sequencing was undertaken for 95 isolates belonging to the pathotypes identified, and de novo assembly made with reads unmapped to the reference strain’s genome sequence resulted in 694 contigs ranging from 128 to 120,795 bp. Variant calling was performed prior to genome-wide association studies computed with single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), copy-number variants and gaps. Polymorphisms with significant p-values were only found on the cultivar Little Gem. Our results allowed molecular identification of isolates likely to cause bacterial leaf spot of lettuce, using two SNPs identified through genome-wide association study.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 1063-1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. S. Yudin ◽  
N. L. Podkolodnyy ◽  
T. A. Agarkova ◽  
E. V. Ignatieva

Selection by means of genetic markers is a promising approach to the eradication of infectious diseases in farm animals, especially in the absence of effective methods of treatment and prevention. Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is spread throughout the world and represents one of the biggest problems for the livestock production and food security in Russia. However, recent genome-wide association studies have shown that sensitivity/resistance to BLV is polygenic. The aim of this study was to create a catalog of cattle genes and genes of other mammalian species involved in the pathogenesis of BLV-induced infection and to perform gene prioritization using bioinformatics methods. Based on manually collected information from a range of open sources, a total of 446 genes were included in the catalog of cattle genes and genes of other mammals involved in the pathogenesis of BLV-induced infection. The following criteria were used to prioritize 446 genes from the catalog: (1) the gene is associated with leukemia according to a genome-wide association study; (2) the gene is associated with leukemia according to a case-control study; (3) the role of the gene in leukemia development has been studied using knockout mice; (4) protein-protein interactions exist between the gene-encoded protein and either viral particles or individual viral proteins; (5) the gene is annotated with Gene Ontology terms that are overrepresented for a given list of genes; (6) the gene participates in biological pathways from the KEGG or REACTOME databases, which are over-represented for a given list of genes; (7) the protein encoded by the gene has a high number of protein-protein interactions with proteins encoded by other genes from the catalog. Based on each criterion, a rank was assigned to each gene. Then the ranks were summarized and an overall rank was determined. Prioritization of 446 candidate genes allowed us to identify 5 genes of interest (TNF,LTB,BOLA-DQA1,BOLA-DRB3,ATF2), which can affect the sensitivity/resistance of cattle to leukemia.


2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 1800647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Terzikhan ◽  
Fangui Sun ◽  
Fien M. Verhamme ◽  
Hieab H.H. Adams ◽  
Daan Loth ◽  
...  

Although several genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have investigated the genetics of pulmonary ventilatory function, little is known about the genetic factors that influence gas exchange. The aim of the study was to investigate the heritability of, and genetic variants associated with the diffusing capacity of the lung.GWAS was performed on diffusing capacity of the lung measured by carbon monoxide uptake (DLCO) and per alveolar volume (VA) using the single-breath technique, in 8372 individuals from two population-based cohort studies, the Rotterdam Study and the Framingham Heart Study. Heritability was estimated in related (n=6246) and unrelated (n=3286) individuals.Heritability of DLCO and DLCO/VA ranged between 23% and 28% in unrelated individuals and between 45% and 49% in related individuals. Meta-analysis identified a genetic variant in ADGRG6 that is significantly associated with DLCO/VA. Gene expression analysis of ADGRG6 in human lung tissue revealed a decreased expression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and subjects with decreased DLCO/VA.DLCO and DLCO/VA are heritable traits, with a considerable proportion of variance explained by genetics. A functional variant in ADGRG6 gene region was significantly associated with DLCO/VA. Pulmonary ADGRG6 expression was decreased in patients with COPD.


Author(s):  
Ian J. Deary

‘What are the contributions of environments and genes to intelligence differences?’ asks whether genetic inheritance and the environments people experience affect intelligence differences. Researchers use two main resources to answer this question: twins and samples of DNA. Studies of identical and non-identical twins are used to show the contributions of genes, shared environment, and non-shared environment to people’s differences in traits. Twin studies tell us that by adulthood, about two-thirds of intelligence differences are caused by how people vary in their genetic inheritance, and that both shared and non-shared environments make significant contributions to intelligence differences. The introduction of genome-wide association studies in 2011 has provided a new method of estimating the heritability of intelligence.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (11) ◽  
pp. 1438-1445
Author(s):  
Young-Chang Kwon ◽  
Jiwoo Lim ◽  
So-Young Bang ◽  
Eunji Ha ◽  
Mi Yeong Hwang ◽  
...  

ObjectiveGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have discovered over 100 RA loci, explaining patient-relevant RA pathogenesis but showing a large fraction of missing heritability. As a continuous effort, we conducted GWAS in a large Korean RA case–control population.MethodsWe newly generated genome-wide variant data in two independent Korean cohorts comprising 4068 RA cases and 36 487 controls, followed by a whole-genome imputation and a meta-analysis of the disease association results in the two cohorts. By integrating publicly available omics data with the GWAS results, a series of bioinformatic analyses were conducted to prioritise the RA-risk genes in RA loci and to dissect biological mechanisms underlying disease associations.ResultsWe identified six new RA-risk loci (SLAMF6, CXCL13, SWAP70, NFKBIA, ZFP36L1 and LINC00158) with pmeta<5×10−8 and consistent disease effect sizes in the two cohorts. A total of 122 genes were prioritised from the 6 novel and 13 replicated RA loci based on physical distance, regulatory variants and chromatin interaction. Bioinformatics analyses highlighted potentially RA-relevant tissues (including immune tissues, lung and small intestine) with tissue-specific expression of RA-associated genes and suggested the immune-related gene sets (such as CD40 pathway, IL-21-mediated pathway and citrullination) and the risk-allele sharing with other diseases.ConclusionThis study identified six new RA-associated loci that contributed to better understanding of the genetic aetiology and biology in RA.


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