| 11. |
- Kottyan, Leah C., et al.
(author)
-
The IRF5-TNPO3 association with systemic lupus erythematosus has two components that other autoimmune disorders variably share.
- 2015
-
In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 24:2, s. 582-596
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Exploiting genotyping, DNA sequencing, imputation and trans-ancestral mapping, we used Bayesian and frequentist approaches to model the IRF5-TNPO3 locus association, now implicated in two immunotherapies and seven autoimmune diseases. Specifically, in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we resolved separate associations in the IRF5 promoter (all ancestries) and with an extended European haplotype. We captured 3230 IRF5-TNPO3 high-quality, common variants across 5 ethnicities in 8395 SLE cases and 7367 controls. The genetic effect from the IRF5 promoter can be explained by any one of four variants in 5.7 kb (P-valuemeta = 6 × 10(-49); OR = 1.38-1.97). The second genetic effect spanned an 85.5-kb, 24-variant haplotype that included the genes IRF5 and TNPO3 (P-valuesEU = 10(-27)-10(-32), OR = 1.7-1.81). Many variants at the IRF5 locus with previously assigned biological function are not members of either final credible set of potential causal variants identified herein. In addition to the known biologically functional variants, we demonstrated that the risk allele of rs4728142, a variant in the promoter among the lowest frequentist probability and highest Bayesian posterior probability, was correlated with IRF5 expression and differentially binds the transcription factor ZBTB3. Our analytical strategy provides a novel framework for future studies aimed at dissecting etiological genetic effects. Finally, both SLE elements of the statistical model appear to operate in Sjögrens syndrome and systemic sclerosis whereas only the IRF5-TNPO3 gene-spanning haplotype is associated with primary biliary cirrhosis, demonstrating the nuance of similarity and difference in autoimmune disease risk mechanisms at IRF5-TNPO3.
|
|
| 12. |
- Robbins, Hilary A., et al.
(author)
-
Design and methodological considerations for biomarker discovery and validation in the Integrative Analysis of Lung Cancer Etiology and Risk (INTEGRAL) Program
- 2023
-
In: Annals of Epidemiology. - : Elsevier. - 1047-2797 .- 1873-2585. ; 77, s. 1-12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Integrative Analysis of Lung Cancer Etiology and Risk (INTEGRAL) program is an NCI-funded initiative with an objective to develop tools to optimize low-dose CT (LDCT) lung cancer screening. Here, we describe the rationale and design for the Risk Biomarker and Nodule Malignancy projects within INTEGRAL. The overarching goal of these projects is to systematically investigate circulating protein markers to include on a panel for use (i) pre-LDCT, to identify people likely to benefit from screening, and (ii) post-LDCT, to differentiate benign versus malignant nodules. To identify informative proteins, the Risk Biomarker project measured 1161 proteins in a nested-case control study within 2 prospective cohorts (n = 252 lung cancer cases and 252 controls) and replicated associations for a subset of proteins in 4 cohorts (n = 479 cases and 479 controls). Eligible participants had a current or former history of smoking and cases were diagnosed up to 3 years following blood draw. The Nodule Malignancy project measured 1078 proteins among participants with a heavy smoking history within four LDCT screening studies (n = 425 cases diagnosed up to 5 years following blood draw, 430 benign-nodule controls, and 398 nodule-free controls). The INTEGRAL panel will enable absolute quantification of 21 proteins. We will evaluate its performance in the Risk Biomarker project using a case-cohort study including 14 cohorts (n = 1696 cases and 2926 subcohort representatives), and in the Nodule Malignancy project within five LDCT screening studies (n = 675 cases, 680 benign-nodule controls, and 648 nodule-free controls). Future progress to advance lung cancer early detection biomarkers will require carefully designed validation, translational, and comparative studies.
|
|
| 13. |
- Cook, Michael B., et al.
(author)
-
Prediagnostic circulating markers of inflammation and risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma : a study within the National Cancer Institute Cohort Consortium
- 2019
-
In: Gut. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 0017-5749 .- 1468-3288. ; 68:6, s. 960-968
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Cross-sectional data indicate that systemic inflammation is important in oesophageal adenocarcinoma. We conducted a prospective study to assess whether prediagnostic circulating markers of inflammation were associated with oesophageal adenocarcinoma and to what extent they mediated associations of obesity and cigarette smoking with cancer risk.DESIGN: This nested case-control study included 296 oesophageal adenocarcinoma cases and 296 incidence density matched controls from seven prospective cohort studies. We quantitated 69 circulating inflammation markers using Luminex-based multiplex assays. Conditional logistic regression models estimated associations between inflammation markers and oesophageal adenocarcinoma, as well as direct and indirect effects of obesity and smoking on risk of malignancy.RESULTS: Soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor 2 (sTNFR2) (ORsquartile 4 vs 1=2.67, 95% CI 1.52 to 4.68) was significantly associated with oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Additional markers close to the adjusted significance threshold included C reactive protein, serum amyloid A, lipocalin-2, resistin, interleukin (IL) 3, IL17A, soluble IL-6 receptor and soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3. Adjustment for body mass index, waist circumference or smoking status slightly attenuated biomarker-cancer associations. Mediation analysis indicated that sTNFR2 may account for 33% (p=0.005) of the effect of waist circumference on oesophageal adenocarcinoma risk. Resistin, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, C reactive protein and serum amyloid A were also identified as potential mediators of obesity-oesophageal adenocarcinoma associations. For smoking status, only plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 was a nominally statistically significant (p<0.05) mediator of cancer risk.CONCLUSION: This prospective study provides evidence of a link between systemic inflammation and oesophageal adenocarcinoma risk. In addition, this study provides the first evidence that indirect effects of excess adiposity and cigarette smoking, via systemic inflammation, increase the risk of oesophageal adenocarcinoma.
|
|
| 14. |
- Cox, David G., et al.
(author)
-
A comprehensive analysis of the androgen receptor gene and risk of breast cancer: results from the National Cancer Institute Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium (BPC3)
- 2006
-
In: Breast Cancer Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1465-5411 .- 1465-542X. ; 8:5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction Androgens have been hypothesised to influence risk of breast cancer through several possible mechanisms, including their conversion to estradiol or their binding to the oestrogen receptor and/ or androgen receptor ( AR) in the breast. Here, we report on the results of a large and comprehensive study of the association between genetic variation in the AR gene and risk of breast cancer in the National Cancer Institute Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium ( BPC3). Methods The underlying genetic variation was determined by first sequencing the coding regions of the AR gene in a panel of 95 advanced breast cancer cases. Second, a dense set of markers from the public database was genotyped in a panel of 349 healthy women. The linkage disequilibrium relationships ( blocks) across the gene were then identified, and haplotypetagging single nucleotide polymorphisms ( htSNPs) were selected to capture the common genetic variation across the locus. The htSNPs were then genotyped in the nested breast cancer cases and controls from the Cancer Prevention Study II, European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, Multiethnic Cohort, Nurses' Health Study, and Women's Health Study cohorts ( 5,603 breast cancer cases and 7,480 controls). Results We found no association between any genetic variation ( SNP, haplotype, or the exon 1 CAG repeat) in the AR gene and risk of breast cancer, nor were any statistical interactions with known breast cancer risk factors observed. Conclusion Among postmenopausal Caucasian women, common variants of the AR gene are not associated with risk of breast cancer.
|
|
| 15. |
- Dhawan, Suhail, et al.
(author)
-
A Uniform Type Ia Supernova Distance Ladder with the Zwicky Transient Facility : Absolute Calibration Based on the Tip of the Red Giant Branch Method
- 2022
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - : American Astronomical Society. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 934:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The current Cepheid-calibrated distance ladder measurement of H0 is reported to be in tension with the values inferred from the cosmic microwave background (CMB), assuming standard cosmology. However, some tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) estimates report H0 in better agreement with the CMB. Hence, it is critical to reduce systematic uncertainties in local measurements to understand the Hubble tension. In this paper, we propose a uniform distance ladder between the second and third rungs, combining Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) observed by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) with a TRGB calibration of their absolute luminosity. A large, volume-limited sample of both calibrator and Hubble flow SNe Ia from the same survey minimizes two of the largest sources of systematics: host-galaxy bias and nonuniform photometric calibration. We present results from a pilot study using the existing TRGB distance to the host galaxy of ZTF SN Ia SN 2021rhu (aka ZTF21abiuvdk) in NGC7814. Combining the ZTF calibrator with a volume-limited sample from the first data release of ZTF Hubble flow SNe Ia, we infer H0 = 76.94 ± 6.4 km s−1 Mpc−1, an 8.3% measurement. The error budget is dominated by the single object calibrating the SN Ia luminosity in this pilot study. However, the ZTF sample includes already five other SNe Ia within ∼20 Mpc for which TRGB distances can be obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. Finally, we present the prospects of building this distance ladder out to 80 Mpc with James Webb Space Telescope observations of more than 100 ZTF SNe Ia.
|
|
| 16. |
|
|
| 17. |
- Lindström, Sara, et al.
(author)
-
A large study of androgen receptor germline variants and their relation to sex hormone levels and prostate cancer risk : Results from the National Cancer Institute Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium
- 2010
-
In: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. - : The Endocrine Society. - 0021-972X .- 1945-7197. ; 95:9, s. E121-E127
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Androgens are key regulators of prostate gland maintenance and prostate cancer growth, and androgen deprivation therapy has been the mainstay of treatment for advanced prostate cancer for many years. A long-standing hypothesis has been that inherited variation in the androgen receptor (AR) gene plays a role in prostate cancer initiation. However, studies to date have been inconclusive and often suffered from small sample sizes. Objective and Methods: We investigated the association of AR sequence variants with circulating sex hormone levels and prostate cancer risk in 6058 prostate cancer cases and 6725 controls of Caucasian origin within the Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium. We genotyped a highly polymorphic CAG microsatellite in exon 1 and six haplotype tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms and tested each genetic variant for association with prostate cancer risk and with sex steroid levels. Results: We observed no association between AR genetic variants and prostate cancer risk. However, there was a strong association between longer CAG repeats and higher levels of testosterone (P = 4.73 × 10−5) and estradiol (P = 0.0002), although the amount of variance explained was small (0.4 and 0.7%, respectively). Conclusions: This study is the largest to date investigating AR sequence variants, sex steroid levels, and prostate cancer risk. Although we observed no association between AR sequence variants and prostate cancer risk, our results support earlier findings of a relation between the number of CAG repeats and circulating levels of testosterone and estradiol.
|
|
| 18. |
- Malhotra, Rajeev, et al.
(author)
-
HDAC9 is implicated in atherosclerotic aortic calcification and affects vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype
- 2019
-
In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 51:11, s. 1580-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aortic calcification is an important independent predictor of future cardiovascular events. We performed a genome-wide association meta-analysis to determine SNPs associated with the extent of abdominal aortic calcification (n = 9,417) or descending thoracic aortic calcification (n = 8,422). Two genetic loci, HDAC9 and RAP1GAP, were associated with abdominal aortic calcification at a genome-wide level (P < 5.0 × 10−8). No SNPs were associated with thoracic aortic calcification at the genome-wide threshold. Increased expression of HDAC9 in human aortic smooth muscle cells promoted calcification and reduced contractility, while inhibition of HDAC9 in human aortic smooth muscle cells inhibited calcification and enhanced cell contractility. In matrix Gla protein–deficient mice, a model of human vascular calcification, mice lacking HDAC9 had a 40% reduction in aortic calcification and improved survival. This translational genomic study identifies the first genetic risk locus associated with calcification of the abdominal aorta and describes a previously unknown role for HDAC9 in the development of vascular calcification.
|
|
| 19. |
- Mancuso, Nicholas, et al.
(author)
-
Large-scale transcriptome-wide association study identifies new prostate cancer risk regions
- 2018
-
In: Nature Communications. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 2041-1723. ; 9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for prostate cancer (PrCa) have identified more than 100 risk regions, most of the risk genes at these regions remain largely unknown. Here we integrate the largest PrCa GWAS (N = 142,392) with gene expression measured in 45 tissues (N = 4458), including normal and tumor prostate, to perform a multi-tissue transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) for PrCa. We identify 217 genes at 84 independent 1 Mb regions associated with PrCa risk, 9 of which are regions with no genome-wide significant SNP within 2 Mb. 23 genes are significant in TWAS only for alternative splicing models in prostate tumor thus supporting the hypothesis of splicing driving risk for continued oncogenesis. Finally, we use a Bayesian probabilistic approach to estimate credible sets of genes containing the causal gene at a pre-defined level; this reduced the list of 217 associations to 109 genes in the 90% credible set. Overall, our findings highlight the power of integrating expression with PrCa GWAS to identify novel risk loci and prioritize putative causal genes at known risk loci.
|
|
| 20. |
- Pearce, Carolyn I., et al.
(author)
-
Reducing risk and uncertainty associated with nuclear waste processing and disposal : a Hanfort tank waste study
- 2018
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Department of Energy’s Environmental Management cleanup effort is focused on developing and implementing innovative and high impact technologies and solutions that positively impact the overall mission lifecycle by: (1) reducing lifecycle costs; (2) accelerating lifecycle schedules; (3) mitigating mission uncertainties, vulnerabilities, and risks; and (4) minimizing the mortgage associated with long-term, post-closure and post-completion stewardship. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and its partnering institutions, are focused on reducing risk and uncertainty across the integrated flowsheet which includes safe waste storage, retrieval, pretreatment, immobilization, disposal, and tank closure. In this presentation, an overview of the major Hanford flowsheet unit operations will be provided and examples of specific projects focused on reducing risks and uncertainties will be explored. For example, a key issue of Hanford tank waste processing and disposal is that, although radionuclides (e.g., technetium) drive the disposal risk for the low-activity flowsheet, the presence of ‘benign’ elements (e.g., aluminum) dictate processing limits or rates in both retrieval and pretreatment unit operations and have other potential downstream negative impacts. Thus, safe, cost-effective, and efficient waste processing depends on a fundamental understanding of aluminum chemistry in high ionic strength, highly alkaline solutions where water activity is low. Once the waste has been retrieved, processed, and immobilized, controlling the behavior of risk driving elements (e.g., Tc and/or I for low-activity waste) in the waste form and the environment becomes essential for waste form disposal or tank closure.With respect to low-activity waste form disposal, material solutions must demonstrate that the risk driving radioactive elements will be contained in a manner wholly consistent with statutory requirements. Modelling future performance remains a challenge for performance assessment (PA) formalism. An appealing option is to perform an inverse PA (IPA) and look far into the past. Archeological artifacts, analogous to wasteform materials (i.e. glass and concrete) that have been left by our ancestors and exposed to the environment for thousands of years can be used to check for comprehensiveness as well as to validate and refine predicted wasteform durability. An IPA describes the features, events and processes that have influenced the corrosion of a material over time and can help establish the most likely scenarios that should be included in PA for the future. An IPA for ancient glass from a hillfort at Broborg, Sweden (ca. 400-575 AD), used to fortify the fort walls will also be one of the key focal points of this presentation.
|
|
