A Genomic Insight into the Peopling of Manipur, India

Maternal age and adverse pregnancy outcomes among Meitei women of Manipur, Northeast India: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

The study examines the outcomes of pregnancies conceived at advanced maternal age (AMA) and maternal complications after childbirth among Meitei women of Northeast India.

METHOD

A total of 760 women participants were included in this study and compared among women aged ≥35 years, with a reference group of women aged 20-34 years. Data on obstetric characteristics were collected after obtaining consent. The data were compared using chi-square analysis, and the results were adjusted using a logistic regression model. Decision trees were developed to predict the potential variables associated with preterm delivery and postpartum complication.

RESULTS

In the study, 18.95% of AMA women experienced one or more adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs). Women with AMA are at significantly increased risk of placenta previa (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.78-8.57), induction of labor (AOR = 3.69, 95%CI: 2.48-5.50), and caesarean section (AOR = 3.42, 95%CI: 2.28-5.12). Moreover, AMA women have a 1.86-2.76 AOR for developing gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, urinary tract infections, preterm delivery, and postpartum complications. Decision tree analysis revealed that AMA and urban residence independently predict preterm delivery and postpartum complications.

CONCLUSION

The study's findings confirm the adverse impact of AMA on pregnancy outcomes and postpartum complications. Such issues should be addressed, and counseling on the risk of AMA should be provided, particularly for those in the high-risk group. Further prospective studies are needed to understand other potential risk factors of APOs and the impact of AMA complications to prevent the associated burden.

Unity in diversity: an overview of the genomic anthropology of India

CONTEXT

India is considered a treasure for geneticists and evolutionary biologists due to its vast human diversity, consisting of more than 4500 anthropologically well-defined populations (castes, tribes and religious groups). Each population differs in terms of endogamy, language, culture, physical features, geographic and climatic position and genetic architecture. These factors contributed to India-specific genetic variations which may be responsible for various common diseases in India and its migratory populations. As a result, interpretations of the origins and affinities of Indian populations as well as health and disease conditions require complex and sophisticated genetic analysis. Evidence of ancient human dispersals and settlements is preserved in the genome of Indian inhabitants and this has been extensively analysed in conventional and genomic analyses.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS

Using genomic analyses of STRs and Alu on a set of populations, this study estimates the level and extent of genetic variation and its implications.

RESULTS

The results show that Indian populations have a higher level of unique genetic diversity which is structured by many social processes and geographical attributes of the country.

CONCLUSION

This overview highlights the need to study the anthropological structure and evolutionary history of Indian populations while designing genomic and epigenomic investigations.

DRD2 and ANKK1 gene polymorphisms and alcohol dependence: a case-control study among a Mendelian population of East Asian ancestry

AIMS

Dopamine receptors are extensively studied in association with alcohol dependence (AD), since they are thought to be the key neural substrate for alcohol and other drug-related reinforcement and reward behaviours. The present study aims to understand the role of dopamine receptors in susceptibility to AD with respect to three sites of DRD2 gene (-141C Ins/Del, TaqIB and TaqID) and TaqIA site of ANKK1 gene among Meiteis of Manipur, a Mendelian population of India.

METHODS

A total of 129 individuals who all met the DSM-IV criteria for AD and 286 controls were screened for four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) -141C Ins/Del, TaqIB TaqID and TaqIA. Both AD cases and controls were unrelated up to first cousin.

RESULTS

Early age of onset of alcohol consumption and smoking status were significantly associated with AD. Improvement in education and occupation statuses showed decreased risk of AD. The heterozygous and mutant homozygous conditions of ANKK1 TaqIA polymorphism were found to be significantly associated with AD (odds ratio = 2.13, 95% confidential interval 1.04-4.39, P < 0.05), whereas a borderline significance of the -141C Del allele was observed (P = 0.059). Such a trend was not observed between AD and the other polymorphism, i.e., TaqIB and TaqID.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals carrying the A1 allele of ANKK1 TaqIA polymorphism may be relatively more susceptible to AD. Interaction of both ANKK1 TaqIA and -141C Ins/Del polymorphism is likely to increase risk of AD phenotypes among Meiteis of Manipur, India.