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Ho MF, Zhang C, Moon I, Wei L, Coombes B, Biernacka J, Skime M, Choi DS, Frye M, Schmidt K, Gliske K, Braughton J, Ngo Q, Skillon C, Seppala M, Oesterle T, Karpyak V, Li H, Weinshilboum R. Genome-wide association study for circulating FGF21 in patients with alcohol use disorder: Molecular links between the SNHG16 locus and catecholamine metabolism. Mol Metab 2022; 63:101534. [PMID: 35752286 PMCID: PMC9270258 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Alcohol consumption can increase circulating levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21). The effects of FGF21 in the central nervous system are associated with the regulation of catecholamines, neurotransmitters that play a crucial role in reward pathways. This study aims to identify genetic variants associated with FGF21 levels and evaluate their functional role in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Methods We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using DNA samples from 442 AUD subjects recruited from the Mayo Clinic Center for the Individualized Treatment of Alcoholism Study. Plasma FGF21 levels were measured using Olink proximity extension immunoassays. Alcohol consumption at time of entry into the study was measured using the self-reported timeline followback method. Functional genomic studies were performed using HepG2 cells and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived brain organoids. Results Plasma FGF21 levels were positively correlated with recent alcohol consumption and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels, a commonly used marker for heavy alcohol use. One variant, rs9914222, located 5’ of SNHG16 on chromosome 17 was associated with plasma FGF21 levels (p = 4.60E-09). This variant was also associated with AUD risk (β: −3.23; p:0.0004). The rs9914222 SNP is an eQTL for SNHG16 in several brain regions, i.e., the variant genotype was associated with decreased expression of SNHG16. The variant genotype for the rs9914222 SNP was also associated with higher plasma FGF21 levels. Knockdown of SNHG16 in HepG2 cells resulted in increased FGF21 concentrations and decreased expression and enzyme activity for COMT, an enzyme that plays a key role in catecholamine metabolism. Finally, we demonstrated that ethanol significantly induced FGF21, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine concentrations in iPSC-derived brain organoids. Conclusions GWAS for FGF21 revealed a SNHG16 genetic variant associated with FGF21 levels which are associated with recent alcohol consumption. Our data suggest that SNHG16 can regulate FGF21 concentrations and decrease COMT expression and enzyme activity which, in turn, have implications for the regulation of catecholamines. (The ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00662571) Plasma FGF21 levels are positively associated with recent alcohol use. GWAS for FGF21 revealed a SNHG16 genetic variant which might be associated with AUD. The rs9914222 SNP was an eQTL for SNHG16 in several brain regions. Ethanol could regulate SNHG16 expression, FGF21 levels and catecholamines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Fen Ho
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics; Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics; Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Irene Moon
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics; Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Lixuan Wei
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics; Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Brandon Coombes
- Division of Computational Biology, Quantitative Health Sciences; Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Joanna Biernacka
- Division of Computational Biology, Quantitative Health Sciences; Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Michelle Skime
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Doo-Sup Choi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics; Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Mark Frye
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kristen Schmidt
- Butler Center for Research, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation; Center City, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kate Gliske
- Butler Center for Research, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation; Center City, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jacqueline Braughton
- Butler Center for Research, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation; Center City, Minnesota, USA
| | - Quyen Ngo
- Butler Center for Research, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation; Center City, Minnesota, USA
| | - Cedric Skillon
- Butler Center for Research, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation; Center City, Minnesota, USA
| | - Marvin Seppala
- Butler Center for Research, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation; Center City, Minnesota, USA
| | - Tyler Oesterle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Victor Karpyak
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Hu Li
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics; Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Richard Weinshilboum
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics; Mayo Clinic; Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
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