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| 3. |
- Aulchenko, Yurii S, et al.
(author)
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Loci influencing lipid levels and coronary heart disease risk in 16 European population cohorts
- 2009
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 41:1, s. 47-55
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent genome-wide association (GWA) studies of lipids have been conducted in samples ascertained for other phenotypes, particularly diabetes. Here we report the first GWA analysis of loci affecting total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides sampled randomly from 16 population-based cohorts and genotyped using mainly the Illumina HumanHap300-Duo platform. Our study included a total of 17,797-22,562 persons, aged 18-104 years and from geographic regions spanning from the Nordic countries to Southern Europe. We established 22 loci associated with serum lipid levels at a genome-wide significance level (P < 5 x 10(-8)), including 16 loci that were identified by previous GWA studies. The six newly identified loci in our cohort samples are ABCG5 (TC, P = 1.5 x 10(-11); LDL, P = 2.6 x 10(-10)), TMEM57 (TC, P = 5.4 x 10(-10)), CTCF-PRMT8 region (HDL, P = 8.3 x 10(-16)), DNAH11 (LDL, P = 6.1 x 10(-9)), FADS3-FADS2 (TC, P = 1.5 x 10(-10); LDL, P = 4.4 x 10(-13)) and MADD-FOLH1 region (HDL, P = 6 x 10(-11)). For three loci, effect sizes differed significantly by sex. Genetic risk scores based on lipid loci explain up to 4.8% of variation in lipids and were also associated with increased intima media thickness (P = 0.001) and coronary heart disease incidence (P = 0.04). The genetic risk score improves the screening of high-risk groups of dyslipidemia over classical risk factors.
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| 4. |
- Duggan, D., et al.
(author)
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Two genome-wide association studies of aggressive prostate cancer implicate putative prostate tumor suppressor gene DAB2IP
- 2007
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In: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0027-8874 .- 1460-2105. ; 99:24, s. 1836-1844
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The consistent finding of a genetic susceptibility to prostate cancer suggests that there are germline sequence variants predisposing individuals to this disease. These variants could be useful in screening and treatment. Methods: We performed an exploratory genome-wide association scan in 498 men with aggressive prostate cancer and 494 control subjects selected from a population-based case-control study in Sweden. We combined the results of this scan with those for aggressive prostate cancer from the publicly available Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility (CGEMS) Study. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that showed statistically significant associations with the risk of aggressive prostate cancer based on two-sided allele tests were tested for their association with aggressive prostate cancer in two independent study populations composed of individuals of European or African American descent using one-sided tests and the genetic model (dominant or additive) associated with the lowest value in the exploratory study. Results: Among the approximately 60000 SNPs that were common to our study and CGEMS, we identified seven that had a similar (positive or negative) and statistically significant (P<.01) association with the risk of aggressive prostate cancer in both studies. Analysis of the distribution of these SNPs among 1032 prostate cancer patients and 571 control subjects of European descent indicated that one, rs1571801, located in the DAB2IP gene, which encodes a novel Ras GTPase-activating protein and putative prostate tumor suppressor, was associated with aggressive prostate cancer (one-sided P value =. 004). The association was also statistically significant in an African American study population that included 210 prostate cancer patients and 346 control subjects (one-sided P value =. 02). Conclusion: A genetic variant in DAB2IP may be associated with the risk of aggressive prostate cancer and should be evaluated further.
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| 5. |
- Kotsopoulos, J, et al.
(author)
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Age at menarche and the risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers
- 2005
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In: Cancer Causes and Control. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-7225 .- 0957-5243. ; 16:6, s. 667-674
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Age at menarche is a strong and consistent predictor of breast cancer risk in the general population, but has not been well studied in women with a family history of breast cancer. We conducted this study to examine whether the presence of a deleterious BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation influences age at menarche and to investigate whether or not there is an association between age at menarche and the risk of breast cancer in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers. The presence of a deleterious BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation did not appear to influence a woman's age at menarche. A matched case-control study was conducted on 1311 pairs of women who have been identified to be carriers of a deleterious mutation in either the BRCA1 (n = 945 pairs) or the BRCA2 gene (n = 366 pairs). Information about age at menarche was derived from a questionnaire routinely administered to carriers of a mutation in either gene. Among women who carried a deleterious BRCA1 mutation, age at menarche was inversely associated with the risk of breast cancer (p trend = 0.0002). This association was not observed among BRCA2 mutation carriers (p trend = 0.49). Compared with BRCA1 carriers whose age at menarche was <= 11 years, women with a menarcheal age between 14 and 15 years old had a 54% reduction in risk (OR = 0.46; 95% CI 0.30-0.69). This study implicates early age at menarche as a determinant of breast cancer among women with a BRCA1 mutation.
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- Hicks, Andrew A., et al.
(author)
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Genetic determinants of circulating sphingolipid concentrations in European populations
- 2009
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In: PLoS genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7404. ; 5:10, s. e1000672-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Sphingolipids have essential roles as structural components of cell membranes and in cell signalling, and disruption of their metabolism causes several diseases, with diverse neurological, psychiatric, and metabolic consequences. Increasingly, variants within a few of the genes that encode enzymes involved in sphingolipid metabolism are being associated with complex disease phenotypes. Direct experimental evidence supports a role of specific sphingolipid species in several common complex chronic disease processes including atherosclerotic plaque formation, myocardial infarction (MI), cardiomyopathy, pancreatic β-cell failure, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, sphingolipids represent novel and important intermediate phenotypes for genetic analysis, yet little is known about the major genetic variants that influence their circulating levels in the general population. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) between 318,237 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and levels of circulating sphingomyelin (SM), dihydrosphingomyelin (Dih-SM), ceramide (Cer), and glucosylceramide (GluCer) single lipid species (33 traits); and 43 matched metabolite ratios measured in 4,400 subjects from five diverse European populations. Associated variants (32) in five genomic regions were identified with genome-wide significant corrected p-values ranging down to 9.08×10−66. The strongest associations were observed in or near 7 genes functionally involved in ceramide biosynthesis and trafficking: SPTLC3, LASS4, SGPP1, ATP10D, and FADS1–3. Variants in 3 loci (ATP10D, FADS3, and SPTLC3) associate with MI in a series of three German MI studies. An additional 70 variants across 23 candidate genes involved in sphingolipid-metabolizing pathways also demonstrate association (p = 10−4 or less). Circulating concentrations of several key components in sphingolipid metabolism are thus under strong genetic control, and variants in these loci can be tested for a role in the development of common cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, and psychiatric diseases.
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| 8. |
- Sun, Jielin, et al.
(author)
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Evidence for two independent prostate cancer risk-associated loci in the HNF1B gene at 17q12
- 2008
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In: Nature Genetics. - London : Nature Publishing Group. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 40:10, s. 1153-1155
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- We carried out a fine-mapping study in the HNF1B gene at 17q12 in two study populations and identified a second locus associated with prostate cancer risk, 26 kb centromeric to the first known locus (rs4430796); these loci are separated by a recombination hot spot. We confirmed the association with a SNP in the second locus (rs11649743) in five additional populations, with P = 1.7 10-9 for an allelic test of the seven studies combined. The association at each SNP remained significant after adjustment for the other SNP.
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| 9. |
- von Delwig, Alexei, et al.
(author)
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Inhibition of macropinocytosis blocks antigen presentation of type II collagen in vitro and in vivo in HLA-DR1 transgenic mice
- 2006
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In: Arthritis Research and Therapy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1478-6362 .- 1478-6354. ; 8:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Professional antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells, macrophages and B cells have been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, constituting a possible target for antigen-specific immunotherapy. We addressed the possibility of blocking antigen presentation of the type II collagen (CII)-derived immunodominant arthritogenic epitope CII259-273 to specific CD4 T cells by inhibition of antigen uptake in HLA-DR1-transgenic mice in vitro and in vivo. Electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, subcellular fractionation and antigen presentation assays were used to establish the mechanisms of uptake, intracellular localization and antigen presentation of CII by dendritic cells and macrophages. We show that CII accumulated in membrane fractions of intermediate density corresponding to late endosomes. Treatment of dendritic cells and macrophages with cytochalasin D or amiloride prevented the intracellular appearance of CII and blocked antigen presentation of CII259-273 to HLA-DR1-restricted T cell hybridomas. The data suggest that CII was taken up by dendritic cells and macrophages predominantly via macropinocytosis. Administration of amiloride in vivo prevented activation of CII-specific polyclonal T cells in the draining popliteal lymph nodes. This study suggests that selective targeting of CII internalization in professional antigen-presenting cells prevents activation of autoimmune T cells, constituting a novel therapeutic strategy for the immunotherapy of rheumatoid arthritis.
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| 11. |
- Holm, Ida Elisabeth, et al.
(author)
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A reassessment of the neuropathology of frontotemporal dementia linked to chromosome 3
- 2007
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In: Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology. - 1554-6578. ; 66:10, s. 884-891
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A large Danish family has previously been reported in which autosomal dominant frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is genetically linked to chromosome 3 (FTD-3). A mutation was recently identified in the CHMP2B gene that is probably responsible for causing disease in this family. Because of its neuropathologic findings, FTD-3 was originally categorized as a subtype of frontotemporal lobar degeneration, termed "dementia lacking distinctive histopathology." We now report a reevaluation of the neuropathologic changes in this family. Postmortem material from 4 affected family members was available for examination. Gross examination revealed generalized cortical atrophy that was most severe in frontal and temporal cortices. Microscopy showed loss of cortical neurons. microvacuolation of layer 11, mild gliosis, and demyelination of the deep white matter. Results of immunohistochemical staining for alpha-synuclein, prion protein, neurofilament, and tau protein were unremarkable. Variable numbers of small, round, ubiquitin-positive cytoplasmic inclusions were present in the dentate granule layer of the hippocampus in all 4 cases. Rare ubiquitin-positive inclusions were also found in frontal and temporal cortical neurons. These inclusions were also positive for p62 but not for TDP-43. The finding of ubiquitin- and p62-positive, TDP-43-neaative cytoplasmic inclusions in the hippocampus and neocortex suggests reclassification of the neuropathology of FTD-3 as a unique subtype of frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions that are TDP-43 -negative.
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| 12. |
- Janssen, Samuel, et al.
(author)
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Pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and antitumor efficacy of a human glandular kallikrein 2 (hK2)-activated thapsigargin prodrug
- 2006
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In: The Prostate. - : Wiley. - 0270-4137 .- 1097-0045. ; 66:4, s. 358-368
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer cells secrete unique proteases such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and human glandular kallikrein 2 (hK2) that represent targets for the activation of prodrugs as systemic treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. Previously, a combinatorial peptide library was screened to identify a highly active peptide substrate for hK2. The peptide was coupled to an analog of the potent cytotoxin thapsigargin, L12ADT, to generate an hK2-activated prodrug that was efficiently hydrolyzed by purified hK2, stable to hydrolysis in human and mouse plasma in vitro and selectively toxic to hK2 producing prostate cancer cells in vitro. METHODS: In the current study, toxicology, pharmacokinetics, prodrug biodistribution, and antitumor efficacy studies were performed to evaluate the hK2-activated prodrug in vivo. RESULTS: The single intravenous maximally tolerated dose of prodrug was 6 mg/kg (i.e., 3.67 micromole/kg) which produced peak serum concentration of approximately 36 microM and had a half-life of approximately 40 min. In addition, over a 24 hr period <0.5% of free L12ADT analog was observed in plasma. The prodrug demonstrated significant antitumor effect in vivo while it was being administered, but prolonged intravenous administration was not possible due to local toxicity to tail veins. Subcutaneous administration of equimolar doses produced lower plasma AUC compared to intravenous dosing but equivalent intratumoral levels of prodrug following multiple doses. CONCLUSIONS: The hK2-activated prodrug was stable in vivo. The prodrug, however, was rapidly cleared and difficult to administer over prolonged dosing interval. Additional studies are underway to assess antitumor efficacy with prolonged administration of higher subcutaneous doses of prodrug. Second-generation hK2-activated thapsigargin prodrugs with increased half-lives and improved formulations are also under development.
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| 13. |
- Johansson, Åsa, et al.
(author)
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Common variants in the JAZF1 gene associated with height identified by linkage and genome-wide association analysis
- 2009
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 18:2, s. 373-380
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Genes for height has gained interest for decades, but only recently have candidate genes started to be identified. We have performed linkage analysis and genome-wide association for height in approximately 4,000 individuals from five European populations. A total of 5 chromosomal regions showed suggestive linkage and in one of these regions, two SNPs (rs849140 and rs1635852) were associated with height (nominal p=7.0 x 10(-8) and p=9.6 x 10(-7) respectively). In total, five SNPs across the genome showed an association with height that reached the threshold of genome-wide significance (nominal p<1.6 x 10(-7)). The association with height was replicated for two SNPs (rs1635852 and rs849140) using three independent studies (N=31,077, N=1,268 and N=5,746) with overall meta p-values of 9.4x10(-10) and 5.3x10(-8). These SNPs are located in the JAZF1 gene, which has recently been associated with type II diabetes, prostate and endometrial cancer. JAZF1 is a transcriptional repressor of NR2C2, which results in low IGF1 serum concentrations, perinatal and early postnatal hypoglycaemia and growth retardation when knocked-out in mice. Both the linkage and association analyses independently identified the JAZF1 region affecting human height. We have demonstrated, through replication in additional independent populations, the consistency of the effect of the JAZF1 SNPs on height. Since this gene also has a key function in the metabolism of growth, JAZF1 represents one of the strongest candidates influencing human height so far identified.
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| 15. |
- Lindmark, F, et al.
(author)
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Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist haplotype associated with prostate cancer risk
- 2005
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In: British Journal of Cancer. - Umea Univ, Dept Radiat Sci Oncol, S-90187 Umea, Sweden. Wake Forest Univ, Bowman Gray Sch Med, Ctr Human Genom, Winston Salem, NC USA. Karolinska Inst, Dept Med Epidemiol & Biostat, Stockholm, Sweden. Johns Hopkins Med Inst, Dept Urol, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA. Orebro Univ Hosp, Dept Urol & Clin Med, Orebro, Sweden. Univ Hosp, Reg Oncol Ctr, Uppsala, Sweden. : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 0007-0920 .- 1532-1827. ; 93:4, s. 493-497
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- IL1-RN is an important anti-inflammatory cytokine that modulate the inflammation response by binding to IL1 receptors, and as a consequence inhibits the action of proinflammatory cytokines IL1 alpha and IL1 beta. In this study, we hypothesise that sequence variants in the IL1-RN gene are associated with prostate cancer risk. The study population, a population-based case - control study in Sweden, consisted of 1383 prostate cancer case patients and 779 control subjects. We first selected 18 sequence variants covering the IL1-RN gene and genotyped these single-nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNPs) in 96 control subjects. Gene-specific haplotypes of IL1-RN were constructed and four haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (htSNPs) were identified (rs878972, rs315934, rs3087263 and rs315951) that could uniquely describe 495% of the haplotypes. All study subjects were genotyped for the four htSNPs. No significant difference in genotype frequencies between cases and controls were observed for any of the four SNPs based on a multiplicative genetic model. Overall there was no significant difference in haplotype frequencies between cases and controls; however, the prevalence of the most common haplotype (ATGC) was significantly higher among cases (38.7%) compared to controls (33.5%) ( haplotype-specific P = 0.009). Evaluation of the prostate cancer risk associated with carrying the 'ATGC' haplotype revealed that homozygous carriers were at significantly increased risk ( odds ratio (OR) = 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2 - 2.2), compared to noncarriers, while no significant association was found among subjects heterozygous for the haplotype ( OR = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.8 - 1.2). Restricting analyses to advanced prostate cancer strengthened the association between the 'ATGC' haplotype and disease risk (OR for homozygous carriers vs noncarriers 1.8, 95% CI = 1.3 - 2.5). In conclusion, the results from this study support the hypothesis that inflammation has a role of in the development of prostate cancer, but further studies are needed to identify the causal variants in this region and to elucidate the biological mechanism for this association.
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| 16. |
- Marroni, Fabio, et al.
(author)
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A genome-wide association scan of RR and QT interval duration in 3 European genetically isolated populations : the EUROSPAN project
- 2009
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In: Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics. - 1942-3268. ; 2:4, s. 322-328
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: We set out to identify common genetic determinants of the length of the RR and QT intervals in 2325 individuals from isolated European populations. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed the heart rate at rest, measured as the RR interval, and the length of the corrected QT interval for association with 318 237 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The RR interval was associated with common variants within GPR133, a G-protein-coupled receptor (rs885389, P=3.9 x 10(-8)). The QT interval was associated with the earlier reported NOS1AP gene (rs2880058, P=2.00 x 10(-10)) and with a region on chromosome 13 (rs2478333, P=4.34 x 10(-8)), which is 100 kb from the closest known transcript LOC730174 and has previously not been associated with the length of the QT interval. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested an association between the RR interval and GPR133 and confirmed an association between the QT interval and NOS1AP.
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| 17. |
- Pattaro, Cristian, et al.
(author)
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Genome-wide linkage analysis of serum creatinine in three isolated European populations
- 2009
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In: Kidney International. - : Elsevier BV. - 0085-2538 .- 1523-1755. ; 76:3, s. 297-306
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is increasing evidence for a role of genetic predisposition in the etiology of kidney disease, but linkage scans have been poorly replicated. Here we performed a genome-wide linkage analysis of serum creatinine on 2859 individuals from isolated villages in South Tyrol (Italy), Rucphen (The Netherlands) and Vis Island (Croatia), populations that have been stable and permanently resident in their region. Linkage of serum creatinine levels to loci on chromosomes 7p14, 9p21, 11p15, 15q15-21, 16p13, and 18p11 was successfully replicated in at least one discovery population or in the pooled analysis. A novel locus was found on chromosome 10p11. Linkage to chromosome 22q13, independent of diabetes and hypertension, was detected over a region containing the non-muscle myosin heavy chain type II isoform A (MYH9) gene (LOD score=3.52). In non-diabetic individuals, serum creatinine was associated with this gene in two of the three populations and in meta-analysis (SNP rs11089788, P-value=0.0089). In populations sharing a homogeneous environment and genetic background, heritability of serum creatinine was higher than in outbred populations, with consequent detection of a larger number of loci than reported before. Our finding of a replicated association of serum creatinine with the MYH9 gene, recently linked to pathological renal conditions in African Americans, suggests that this gene may also influence kidney function in healthy Europeans.
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| 18. |
- von Delwig, Alexei, et al.
(author)
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T cell responses to a non-glycosylated epitope predominate in type II collagen-immunised HLA-DRB1*0101 transgenic mice
- 2007
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In: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. - : BMJ. - 1468-2060 .- 0003-4967. ; 66:5, s. 599-604
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: To study collagen-induced arthritis in human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR1 transgenic mice lacking endogenous major histocompatibility complex class II molecules (MHC-II) and to determine T cell specificity against the arthritogenic CII259-273 epitope of type II collagen either unmodified or post-translationally glycosylated at Lys(264). Methods: Arthritis was induced by immunisation with human type II collagen in complete Freund's adjuvant and measured by footpad swelling, clinical score and histology. T cell responses were assessed by proliferation of spleen and lymph node cells and in antigen presentation assays, using T cell hybridomas specific for the glycosylated and non-glycosylated CII259-273 epitope. Results: The incidence of arthritis was 50% in DR1-transgenic mice lacking endogenous MHC-II molecules. Recall T cell responses in draining lymph nodes and spleen were consistently greater against the nonglycosylated epitope than to the glycosylated CII259-273. Most of the T cell hybridomas generated from CII-immunised mice recognised the non-glycosylated CII epitope and this form of the epitope was also presented with 100-fold higher efficiency and 1 h faster kinetics by both macrophages and dendritic cells. Conclusion: This study shows that T cell responses to the non-glycosylated epitope of heterologous ( human) CII are dominant in HLA-DR1 transgenic mice lacking MHC-II, which could contribute to the pathogenicity of autoimmune arthritis.
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