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Venema WJ, Hiddingh S, van Loosdregt J, Bowes J, Balliu B, de Boer JH, Ossewaarde-van Norel J, Thompson SD, Langefeld CD, de Ligt A, van der Veken LT, Krijger PHL, de Laat W, Kuiper JJW. A cis-regulatory element regulates ERAP2 expression through autoimmune disease risk SNPs. CELL GENOMICS 2024; 4:100460. [PMID: 38190099 PMCID: PMC10794781 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near the ERAP2 gene are associated with various autoimmune conditions, as well as protection against lethal infections. Due to high linkage disequilibrium, numerous trait-associated SNPs are correlated with ERAP2 expression; however, their functional mechanisms remain unidentified. We show by reciprocal allelic replacement that ERAP2 expression is directly controlled by the splice region variant rs2248374. However, disease-associated variants in the downstream LNPEP gene promoter are independently associated with ERAP2 expression. Allele-specific conformation capture assays revealed long-range chromatin contacts between the gene promoters of LNPEP and ERAP2 and showed that interactions were stronger in patients carrying the alleles that increase susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. Replacing the SNPs in the LNPEP promoter by reference sequences lowered ERAP2 expression. These findings show that multiple SNPs act in concert to regulate ERAP2 expression and that disease-associated variants can convert a gene promoter region into a potent enhancer of a distal gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter J Venema
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sanne Hiddingh
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jorg van Loosdregt
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - John Bowes
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Brunilda Balliu
- Department of Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joke H de Boer
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Susan D Thompson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Carl D Langefeld
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, and Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Aafke de Ligt
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lars T van der Veken
- Department of Genetics, Division Laboratories, Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Peter H L Krijger
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wouter de Laat
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Jonas J W Kuiper
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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