| 1. |
- de las Fuentes, Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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Gene-educational attainment interactions in a multi-ancestry genome-wide meta-analysis identify novel blood pressure loci
- 2021
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Ingår i: Molecular Psychiatry. - : Springer Nature. - 1359-4184 .- 1476-5578. ; 26:6, s. 2111-2125
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Educational attainment is widely used as a surrogate for socioeconomic status (SES). Low SES is a risk factor for hypertension and high blood pressure (BP). To identify novel BP loci, we performed multi-ancestry meta-analyses accounting for gene-educational attainment interactions using two variables, “Some College” (yes/no) and “Graduated College” (yes/no). Interactions were evaluated using both a 1 degree of freedom (DF) interaction term and a 2DF joint test of genetic and interaction effects. Analyses were performed for systolic BP, diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure. We pursued genome-wide interrogation in Stage 1 studies (N = 117 438) and follow-up on promising variants in Stage 2 studies (N = 293 787) in five ancestry groups. Through combined meta-analyses of Stages 1 and 2, we identified 84 known and 18 novel BP loci at genome-wide significance level (P < 5 × 10-8). Two novel loci were identified based on the 1DF test of interaction with educational attainment, while the remaining 16 loci were identified through the 2DF joint test of genetic and interaction effects. Ten novel loci were identified in individuals of African ancestry. Several novel loci show strong biological plausibility since they involve physiologic systems implicated in BP regulation. They include genes involved in the central nervous system-adrenal signaling axis (ZDHHC17, CADPS, PIK3C2G), vascular structure and function (GNB3, CDON), and renal function (HAS2 and HAS2-AS1, SLIT3). Collectively, these findings suggest a role of educational attainment or SES in further dissection of the genetic architecture of BP.
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| 2. |
- Garcia-Martin, E. Elena, et al.
(författare)
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Sources, Composition, and Export of Particulate Organic Matter Across British Estuaries
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Geophysical Research - Biogeosciences. - : American Geophysical Union (AGU). - 2169-8953 .- 2169-8961. ; 128:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Estuaries receive and process a large amount of particulate organic carbon (POC) prior to its export into coastal waters. Studying the origin of this POC is key to understanding the fate of POC and the role of estuaries in the global carbon cycle. Here, we evaluated the concentrations of POC, as well as particulate organic nitrogen (PON), and used stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes to assess their sources across 13 contrasting British estuaries during five different sampling campaigns over 1 year. We found a high variability in POC and PON concentrations across the salinity gradient, reflecting inputs, and losses of organic material within the estuaries. Catchment land cover appeared to influence the contribution of POC to the total organic carbon flux from the estuary to coastal waters, with POC contributions >36% in estuaries draining catchments with a high percentage of urban/suburban land, and <11% in estuaries draining catchments with a high peatland cover. There was no seasonal pattern in the isotopic composition of POC and PON, suggesting similar sources for each estuary over time. Carbon isotopic ratios were depleted (-26.7 +/- 0.42 parts per thousand, average +/- sd) at the lowest salinity waters, indicating mainly terrigenous POC (TPOC). Applying a two-source mixing model, we observed high variability in the contribution of TPOC at the highest salinity waters between estuaries, with a median value of 57%. Our results indicate a large transport of terrigenous organic carbon into coastal waters, where it may be buried, remineralized, or transported offshore. Plain Language Summary Estuaries transport and process a large amount terrigenous particulate organic matter (i.e., carbon and nitrogen) prior to its export to coastal waters. In order to understand the fate of organic carbon and the role of estuaries in the global carbon cycle it is essential to improve our knowledge on its composition, origin, and amount of carbon transported. We quantified the elemental concentrations and stable isotopes composition of carbon and nitrogen to quantify the amount of terrigenous particulate organic matter transported by 13 British estuaries, which drain catchments of diverse land cover under different hydrological conditions. We found a great variability in particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate organic nitrogen concentrations across the salinity gradient, implying inputs, and losses of material within the estuaries. Each estuary had similar sources of particulate material throughout the year. In most of the estuaries, the POC had a terrigenous origin at the lowest salinity waters. The terrigenous organic carbon contribution decreased toward coastal waters with an average contribution of 57% at the highest salinity waters, indicating a large transport of terrigenous organic carbon into coastal waters.
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| 3. |
- Kersten, Oliver, et al.
(författare)
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Complex population structure of the Atlantic puffin revealed by whole genome analyses
- 2021
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Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The factors underlying gene flow and genomic population structure in vagile seabirds arenotoriously difficult to understand due to their complex ecology with diverse dispersal barriers and extensive periods at sea. Yet, such understanding is vital for conservation management of seabirds that are globally declining at alarming rates. Here, we elucidate thepopulation structure of the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) by assembling its referencegenome and analyzing genome-wide resequencing data of 72 individuals from 12 colonies.We identify four large, genetically distinct clusters, observe isolation-by-distance betweencolonies within these clusters, and obtain evidence for a secondary contact zone. Theseobservations disagree with the current taxonomy, and show that a complex set of contemporary biotic factors impede gene flow over different spatial scales. Our results highlightthe power of whole genome data to reveal unexpected population structure in vagile marineseabirds and its value for seabird taxonomy, evolution and conservation
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| 4. |
- Paczkowski, Marcin, et al.
(författare)
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Reciprocal interactions between tumour cell populations enhance growth and reduce radiation sensitivity in prostate cancer
- 2021
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Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Nature. - 2399-3642. ; 4:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Intratumoural heterogeneity (ITH) contributes to local recurrence following radiotherapy in prostate cancer. Recent studies also show that ecological interactions between heterogeneous tumour cell populations can lead to resistance in chemotherapy. Here, we evaluated whether interactions between heterogenous populations could impact growth and response to radiotherapy in prostate cancer. Using mixed 3D cultures of parental and radioresistant populations from two prostate cancer cell lines and a predator-prey mathematical model to investigate various types of ecological interactions, we show that reciprocal interactions between heterogeneous populations enhance overall growth and reduce radiation sensitivity. The type of interaction influences the time of regrowth after radiation, and, at the population level, alters the survival and cell cycle of each population without eliminating either one. These interactions can arise from oxygen constraints and from cellular cross-talk that alter the tumour microenvironment. These findings suggest that ecological-type interactions are important in radiation response and could be targeted to reduce local recurrence. Using co-culture experiments and mathematical modelling, Paczkowski et al discover that prostate cancer spheroids comprising mixed tumour cell populations display enhanced growth and reduced radiation sensitivity due to competitive and antagonistic interactions between cell populations. This interdisciplinary approach reveals a role for ecological-type interactions in the radiation response and may be used to study other cancer types.
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| 5. |
- Yaghootkar, Hanieh, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic Studies of Leptin Concentrations Implicate Leptin in the Regulation of Early Adiposity
- 2020
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Ingår i: Diabetes. - : American Diabetes Association. - 0012-1797 .- 1939-327X. ; 69:12, s. 2806-2818
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Leptin influences food intake by informing the brain about the status of body fat stores. Rare LEP mutations associated with congenital leptin deficiency cause severe early-onset obesity that can be mitigated by administering leptin. However, the role of genetic regulation of leptin in polygenic obesity remains poorly understood. We performed an exome-based analysis in up to 57,232 individuals of diverse ancestries to identify genetic variants that influence adiposity-adjusted leptin concentrations. We identify five novel variants, including four missense variants, in LEP, ZNF800, KLHL31, and ACTL9, and one intergenic variant near KLF14. The missense variant Val94Met (rs17151919) in LEP was common in individuals of African ancestry only, and its association with lower leptin concentrations was specific to this ancestry (P = 2 × 10-16, n = 3,901). Using in vitro analyses, we show that the Met94 allele decreases leptin secretion. We also show that the Met94 allele is associated with higher BMI in young African-ancestry children but not in adults, suggesting that leptin regulates early adiposity.
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