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- Abdellaoui, A, et al.
(author)
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Phenome-wide investigation of health outcomes associated with genetic predisposition to loneliness
- 2019
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In: Human molecular genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1460-2083 .- 0964-6906. ; 28:22, s. 3853-3865
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Humans are social animals that experience intense suffering when they perceive a lack of social connection. Modern societies are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness. Although the experience of loneliness is universally human, some people report experiencing greater loneliness than others. Loneliness is more strongly associated with mortality than obesity, emphasizing the need to understand the nature of the relationship between loneliness and health. Although it is intuitive that circumstantial factors such as marital status and age influence loneliness, there is also compelling evidence of a genetic predisposition toward loneliness. To better understand the genetic architecture of loneliness and its relationship with associated outcomes, we extended the genome-wide association study meta-analysis of loneliness to 511 280 subjects, and detect 19 significant genetic variants from 16 loci, including four novel loci, as well as 58 significantly associated genes. We investigated the genetic overlap with a wide range of physical and mental health traits by computing genetic correlations and by building loneliness polygenic scores in an independent sample of 18 498 individuals with EHR data to conduct a PheWAS with. A genetic predisposition toward loneliness was associated with cardiovascular, psychiatric, and metabolic disorders and triglycerides and high-density lipoproteins. Mendelian randomization analyses showed evidence of a causal, increasing, the effect of both BMI and body fat on loneliness. Our results provide a framework for future studies of the genetic basis of loneliness and its relationship to mental and physical health.
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- Bademci, Guney, et al.
(author)
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FOXF2 is required for cochlear development in humans and mice.
- 2019
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In: Human molecular genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1460-2083 .- 0964-6906. ; 28:8, s. 1286-1297
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Molecular mechanisms governing the development of the human cochlea remain largely unknown. Through genome sequencing, we identified a homozygous FOXF2 variant c.325A>T (p.I109F) in a child with profound sensorineural hearing loss associated with incomplete partition type I anomaly of the cochlea. This variant is not found in public databases or in over 1,000 ethnicity-matched control individuals. I109 is a highly conserved residue in the forkhead box (Fox) domain of FOXF2, a member of the Fox protein family of transcription factors that regulate the expression of genes involved in embryogenic development as well as adult life. Our in vitro studies show that the half-life of mutant FOXF2 is reduced compared to that of wildtype. Foxf2 is expressed in the cochlea of developing and adult mice. The mouse knockout of Foxf2 shows shortened and malformed cochleae, in addition to altered shape of hair cells with innervation and planar cell polarity defects. Expressions of Eya1 and Pax3, genes essential for cochlear development, are reduced in the cochleae of Foxf2 knockout mice. We conclude that FOXF2 plays a major role in cochlear development and its dysfunction leads to sensorineural hearing loss and developmental anomalies of the cochlea in humans and mice.
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- Beaumont, Robin N, et al.
(author)
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Genome-wide association study of offspring birth weight in 86,577 women identifies five novel loci and highlights maternal genetic effects that are independent of fetal genetics.
- 2018
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In: Human molecular genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1460-2083 .- 1460-2083 .- 0964-6906. ; 27:4, s. 742-756
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of birth weight have focused on fetal genetics, while relatively little is known about the role of maternal genetic variation. We aimed to identify maternal genetic variants associated with birth weight that could highlight potentially relevant maternal determinants of fetal growth. We meta-analysed data on up to 8.7 million SNPs in up to 86,577 women of European descent from the Early Growth Genetics (EGG) Consortium and the UK Biobank. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) and analyses of mother-child pairs to quantify the separate maternal and fetal genetic effects. Maternal SNPs at 10 loci (MTNR1B, HMGA2, SH2B3, KCNAB1, L3MBTL3, GCK, EBF1, TCF7L2, ACTL9, CYP3A7) were associated with offspring birth weight at P<5x10-8. In SEM analyses, at least 7 of the 10 associations were consistent with effects of the maternal genotype acting via the intrauterine environment, rather than via effects of shared alleles with the fetus. Variants, or correlated proxies, at many of the loci had been previously associated with adult traits, including fasting glucose (MTNR1B, GCK and TCF7L2) and sex hormone levels (CYP3A7), and one (EBF1) with gestational duration. The identified associations indicate genetic effects on maternal glucose, cytochrome P450 activity and gestational duration, and potentially on maternal blood pressure and immune function, are relevant for fetal growth. Further characterization of these associations in mechanistic and causal analyses will enhance understanding of the potentially modifiable maternal determinants of fetal growth, with the goal of reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with low and high birth weights.
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- Bento-Abreu, Andre, et al.
(author)
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Elongator subunit 3 (ELP3) modifies ALS through tRNA modification.
- 2018
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press. - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 27:7, s. 1276-1289
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal degenerative motor neuron disorder of which the progression is influenced by several disease-modifying factors. Here, we investigated ELP3, a subunit of the elongator complex that modifies tRNA wobble uridines, as one of such ALS disease modifiers. ELP3 attenuated the axonopathy of a mutant SOD1, as well as of a mutant C9orf72 ALS zebrafish model. Furthermore, the expression of ELP3 in the SOD1G93A mouse extended the survival and attenuated the denervation in this model. Depletion of ELP3 in vitro reduced the modified tRNA wobble uridine mcm5s2U and increased abundance of insoluble mutant SOD1, which was reverted by exogenous ELP3 expression. Interestingly, the expression of ELP3 in the motor cortex of ALS patients was reduced and correlated with mcm5s2U levels. Our results demonstrate that ELP3 is a modifier of ALS and suggest a link between tRNA modification and neurodegeneration.
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- Benyamin, Beben, et al.
(author)
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Identification of novel loci affecting circulating chromogranins and related peptides
- 2017
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 26:1, s. 233-242
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chromogranins are pro-hormone secretory proteins released from neuroendocrine cells, with effects on control of blood pressure. We conducted a genome-wide association study for plasma catestatin, the catecholamine release inhibitory peptide derived from chromogranin A (CHGA), and other CHGA- or chromogranin B (CHGB)-related peptides, in 545 US and 1252 Australian subjects. This identified loci on chromosomes 4q35 and 5q34 affecting catestatin concentration (P = 3.40 × 10(-30) for rs4253311 and 1.85 × 10(-19) for rs2731672, respectively). Genes in these regions include the proteolytic enzymes kallikrein (KLKB1) and Factor XII (F12). In chromaffin cells, CHGA and KLKB1 proteins co-localized in catecholamine storage granules. In vitro, kallikrein cleaved recombinant human CHGA to catestatin, verified by mass spectrometry. The peptide identified from this digestion (CHGA360-373) selectively inhibited nicotinic cholinergic stimulated catecholamine release from chromaffin cells. A proteolytic cascade involving kallikrein and Factor XII cleaves chromogranins to active compounds both in vivo and in vitro.
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- Berggren, Olof, et al.
(author)
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IFN-α production by plasmacytoid dendritic cell associations with polymorphisms in gene loci related to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
- 2015
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 24:12, s. 3571-3581
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The type I interferon (IFN) system is persistently activated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and many other systemic autoimmune diseases. Studies have shown an association between SLE and several gene variants within the type I IFN system. We investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with SLE and other autoimmune diseases affect the IFN-α production in healthy individuals. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), B and NK cells were isolated from peripheral blood of healthy individuals and stimulated with RNA-containing immune complexes (IC), herpes simplex virus (HSV) or the oligonucleotide ODN2216. IFN-α production by pDCs alone or in cocultures with B or NK cells was measured by an immunoassay. All donors were genotyped with the 200K ImmunoChip and a 5bp CGGGG length polymorphism in the IFN regulatory factor 5 gene (IRF5) was genotyped by PCR. We found associations between IFN-α production and 18-86 SNPs (p ≤ 0.001), depending on the combination of the stimulated cell types. However, only three of these associated SNPs were shared between the cell type combinations. Several SNPs showed novel associations to the type I IFN system among all the associated SNPs, while some loci have been described earlier for their association with SLE. Furthermore, we found that the SLE-risk variant of the IRF5 CGGGG-indel was associated with lower IFN-α production. We conclude that the genetic variants affecting the IFN-α production highlight the intricate regulation of the type I IFN system and the importance of understanding the mechanisms behind the dysregulated type I IFN system in SLE.
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