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- Heyne, Henrike O, et al.
(author)
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Genetic influences on brain gene expression in rats selected for tameness and aggression.
- 2014
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In: Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0016-6731 .- 1943-2631. ; 198:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Interindividual differences in many behaviors are partly due to genetic differences, but the identification of the genes and variants that influence behavior remains challenging. Here, we studied an F2 intercross of two outbred lines of rats selected for tame and aggressive behavior toward humans for >64 generations. By using a mapping approach that is able to identify genetic loci segregating within the lines, we identified four times more loci influencing tameness and aggression than by an approach that assumes fixation of causative alleles, suggesting that many causative loci were not driven to fixation by the selection. We used RNA sequencing in 150 F2 animals to identify hundreds of loci that influence brain gene expression. Several of these loci colocalize with tameness loci and may reflect the same genetic variants. Through analyses of correlations between allele effects on behavior and gene expression, differential expression between the tame and aggressive rat selection lines, and correlations between gene expression and tameness in F2 animals, we identify the genes Gltscr2, Lgi4, Zfp40, and Slc17a7 as candidate contributors to the strikingly different behavior of the tame and aggressive animals.
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2. |
- Keller, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Genetically programmed changes in transcription of the novel progranulin regulator
- 2020
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In: Journal of Molecular Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0946-2716 .- 1432-1440. ; 98:8, s. 1139-1148
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Abstract: Progranulin is a glycoprotein marking chronic inflammation in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Previous studies suggested PSRC1 (proline and serine rich coiled-coil 1) to be a target of genetic variants associated with serum progranulin levels. We aimed to identify potentially functional variants and characterize their role in regulation of PSRC1. Phylogenetic module complexity analysis (PMCA) prioritized four polymorphisms (rs12740374, rs629301, rs660240, rs7528419) altering transcription factor binding sites with an overall score for potential regulatory function of Sall > 7.0. The effects of these variants on transcriptional activity and binding of transcription factors were tested by luciferase reporter and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA). In parallel, blood DNA promoter methylation of two regions was tested in subjects with a very high (N = 100) or a very low (N = 100) serum progranulin. Luciferase assays revealed lower activities in vectors carrying the rs629301-A compared with the C allele. Moreover, EMSA indicated a different binding pattern for the two rs629301 alleles, with an additional prominent band for the A allele, which was finally confirmed with the supershift for the Yin Yang 1 transcription factor (YY1). Subjects with high progranulin levels manifested a significantly higher mean DNA methylation (P < 1 × 10−7) in one promoter region, which was in line with a significantly lower PSRC1 mRNA expression levels in blood (P = 1 × 10−3). Consistently, rs629301-A allele was associated with lower PSRC1 mRNA expression (P < 1 × 10−7). Our data suggest that the progranulin-associated variant rs629301 modifies the transcription of PSRC1 through alteration of YY1 binding capacity. DNA methylation studies further support the role of PSRC1 in regulation of progranulin serum levels. Key messages: PSRC1 (proline and serine rich coiled-coil 1) SNPs are associated with serum progranulin levels.rs629301 regulates PSRC1 expression by affecting Yin Yang 1 transcription factor (YY1) binding.PSRC1 is also epigenetically regulated in subjects with high progranulin levels.
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3. |
- Tönjes, Anke, et al.
(author)
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Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies novel determinants of circulating serum progranulin
- 2018
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 27:3, s. 546-558
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Progranulin is a secreted protein with important functions in processes including immune and inflammatory response, metabolism and embryonic development. The present study aimed at identification of genetic factors determining progranulin concentrations. We conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis for serum progranulin in three independent cohorts from Europe: Sorbs (N=848) and KORA (N=1628) from Germany and PPP-Botnia (N=335) from Finland (total N=2811). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with progranulin levels were replicated in two additional German cohorts: LIFE-Heart Study (Leipzig; N=967) and Metabolic Syndrome Berlin Potsdam (Berlin cohort; N=833). We measured mRNA expression of genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by micro-arrays and performed mRNA expression quantitative trait and expression-progranulin association studies to functionally substantiate identified loci. Finally, we conducted siRNA silencing experiments in vitro to validate potential candidate genes within the associated loci. Heritability of circulating progranulin levels was estimated at 31.8% and 26.1% in the Sorbs and LIFE-Heart cohort, respectively. SNPs at three loci reached study-wide significance (rs660240 in CELSR2-PSRC1-MYBPHL-SORT1, rs4747197 in CDH23- PSAP and rs5848 in GRN) explaining 19.4%/15.0% of the variance and 61%/57% of total heritability in the Sorbs/LIFE-Heart Study. The strongest evidence for association was at rs660240 (P=5.75x10-50), which was also associated with mRNA expression of PSRC1 in PBMC (P=1.51x10-21). Psrc1 knockdown in murine preadipocytes led to a consecutive 30% reduction in progranulin secretion. In conclusion, the present meta-GWAS combined with mRNA expression identified three loci associated with progranulin and supports the role of PSRC1 in the regulation of progranulin secretion.
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