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Genome-Wide Association Study of Growth and Sex Traits Provides Insight into Heritable Mechanisms Underlying Growth Development of Macrobrachium nipponense (Oriental River Prawn). BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030429. [PMID: 36979121 PMCID: PMC10045025 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Male hybrid oriental river prawns grow significantly faster than hybrid females. In this study, the growth and sex traits of 181 individuals of Macrobrachium nipponense were recorded, and each individual genotype was evaluated using the 2b-RAD sequencing method. The genetic parameters for growth and sex traits were estimated. A genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) of these traits was performed. In total, 18 growth-related SNPs were detected from 12 chromosomes using a mixed linear model. The most significant loci of weight are located on the position of the SNP (102638935, chromosome 13), which can explain 11.87% of the phenotypic variation. A total of 11 significant SNPs were detected on four chromosomes associated with sex trait (three on chromosome 4, one on chromosome 7 and seven on chromosome 17). The heritability of this trait is 0.8998 and belongs to the range of ultra-high heritability. Genetic correlations were prevalent among the 11 traits examined, the genetic coefficient between sex and body weight reached a significant level of −0.23. This study is the first GWAS for sex of binary and growth traits in oriental river prawn. Our results provide a set of markers for the genetic selection of growth traits and help us to further understand the genetic mechanisms of growth in Macrobrachium nipponense.
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Bhat S, Rotti H, Prasad K, Kabekkodu SP, Saadi AV, Shenoy SP, Joshi KS, Nesari TM, Shengule SA, Dedge AP, Gadgil MS, Dhumal VR, Salvi S, Satyamoorthy K. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling after Ayurveda intervention to bronchial asthmatics identifies differential methylation in several transcription factors with immune process related function. J Ayurveda Integr Med 2023; 14:100692. [PMID: 37018893 PMCID: PMC10122039 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaim.2023.100692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Indian traditional medicinal system, Ayurveda, describes several lifestyle practices, processes and medicines as an intervention to treat asthma. Rasayana therapy is one of them and although these treatment modules show improvement in bronchial asthma, their mechanism of action, particularly the effect on DNA methylation, is largely understudied. OBJECTIVES Our study aimed at identifying the contribution of DNA methylation changes in modulating bronchial asthma phenotype upon Ayurveda intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, genome-wide methylation profiling in peripheral blood DNA of healthy controls and bronchial asthmatics before (BT) and after (AT) Ayurveda treatment was performed using array-based profiling of reference-independent methylation status (aPRIMES) coupled to microarray technique. RESULTS We identified 4820 treatment-associated DNA methylation signatures (TADS) and 11,643 asthma-associated DNA methylation signatures (AADS), differentially methylated [FDR (≤0.1) adjusted p-values] in AT and HC groups respectively, compared to BT group. Neurotrophin TRK receptor signaling pathway was significantly enriched for differentially methylated genes in bronchial asthmatics, compared to AT and HC subjects. Additionally, we identified over 100 differentially methylated immune-related genes located in the promoter/5'-UTR regions of TADS and AADS. Various immediate-early response and immune regulatory genes with functions such as transcription factor activity (FOXD1, FOXD2, GATA6, HOXA3, HOXA5, MZF1, NFATC1, NKX2-2, NKX2-3, RUNX1, KLF11), G-protein coupled receptor activity (CXCR4, PTGER4), G-protein coupled receptor binding (UCN), DNA binding (JARID2, EBF2, SOX9), SNARE binding (CAPN10), transmembrane signaling receptor activity (GP1BB), integrin binding (ITGA6), calcium ion binding (PCDHGA12), actin binding (TRPM7, PANX1, TPM1), receptor tyrosine kinase binding (PIK3R2), receptor activity (GDNF), histone methyltransferase activity (MLL5), and catalytic activity (TSTA3) were found to show consistent methylation status between AT and HC group in microarray data. CONCLUSIONS Our study reports the DNA methylation-regulated genes in bronchial asthmatics showing improvement in symptoms after Ayurveda intervention. DNA methylation regulation in the identified genes and pathways represents the Ayurveda intervention responsive genes and may be further explored as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers for bronchial asthma in peripheral blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smitha Bhat
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Harish Rotti
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Keshava Prasad
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Shama Prasada Kabekkodu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Abdul Vahab Saadi
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Sushma P Shenoy
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Kalpana S Joshi
- Department of Biotechnology, Sinhgad College of Engineering, S. P. University of Pune, Pune Maharashtra, India
| | - Tanuja M Nesari
- Department of Dravyaguna, Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sushant A Shengule
- Department of Biotechnology, Sinhgad College of Engineering, S. P. University of Pune, Pune Maharashtra, India
| | - Amrish P Dedge
- Department of Dravyaguna, Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Maithili S Gadgil
- Department of Biotechnology, Sinhgad College of Engineering, S. P. University of Pune, Pune Maharashtra, India
| | - Vikram R Dhumal
- Department of Dravyaguna, Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sundeep Salvi
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Chest Research Foundation, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Kapaettu Satyamoorthy
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India.
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Nameki R, Shetty A, Dareng E, Tyrer J, Lin X, Pharoah P, Corona RI, Kar S, Lawrenson K. chromMAGMA: regulatory element-centric interrogation of risk variants. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:e202201446. [PMID: 35777959 PMCID: PMC9251535 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Candidate causal risk variants from genome-wide association studies reside almost exclusively in noncoding regions of the genome and innovative approaches are necessary to understand their biological function. Multi-marker analysis of genomic annotation (MAGMA) is a widely used program that nominates candidate risk genes by mapping single-nucleotide polymorphism summary statistics from genome-wide association studies to gene bodies. We augmented MAGMA to create chromatin-MAGMA (chromMAGMA), a method to nominate candidate risk genes based on the presence of risk variants within noncoding regulatory elements (REs). We applied chromMAGMA to a genetic susceptibility dataset for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), a rare gynecologic malignancy characterized by high mortality. This identified 155 unique candidate EOC risk genes across five EOC histotypes; 83% (105/127) of high-grade serous ovarian cancer risk genes had not previously been implicated in this EOC histotype. Risk genes nominated by chromMAGMA converged on mRNA splicing and transcriptional dysregulation pathways. chromMAGMA is a pipeline that nominates candidate risk genes through a gene regulation-focused approach and helps interpret the biological mechanism of noncoding risk variants for complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robbin Nameki
- Women's Cancer Research Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anamay Shetty
- Women's Cancer Research Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eileen Dareng
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jonathan Tyrer
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Xianzhi Lin
- Women's Cancer Research Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Paul Pharoah
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Rosario I Corona
- Women's Cancer Research Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Siddhartha Kar
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Kate Lawrenson
- Women's Cancer Research Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Soliai MM, Kato A, Helling BA, Stanhope CT, Norton JE, Naughton KA, Klinger AI, Thompson EE, Clay SM, Kim S, Celedón JC, Gern JE, Jackson DJ, Altman MC, Kern RC, Tan BK, Schleimer RP, Nicolae DL, Pinto JM, Ober C. Multi-omics colocalization with genome-wide association studies reveals a context-specific genetic mechanism at a childhood onset asthma risk locus. Genome Med 2021; 13:157. [PMID: 34629083 PMCID: PMC8504130 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-021-00967-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified thousands of variants associated with asthma and other complex diseases. However, the functional effects of most of these variants are unknown. Moreover, GWASs do not provide context-specific information on cell types or environmental factors that affect specific disease risks and outcomes. To address these limitations, we used an upper airway epithelial cell (AEC) culture model to assess transcriptional and epigenetic responses to rhinovirus (RV), an asthma-promoting pathogen, and provide context-specific functional annotations to variants discovered in GWASs of asthma. METHODS Genome-wide genetic, gene expression, and DNA methylation data in vehicle- and RV-treated upper AECs were collected from 104 individuals who had a diagnosis of airway disease (n=66) or were healthy participants (n=38). We mapped cis expression and methylation quantitative trait loci (cis-eQTLs and cis-meQTLs, respectively) in each treatment condition (RV and vehicle) in AECs from these individuals. A Bayesian test for colocalization between AEC molecular QTLs and adult onset asthma and childhood onset asthma GWAS SNPs, and a multi-ethnic GWAS of asthma, was used to assign the function to variants associated with asthma. We used Mendelian randomization to demonstrate DNA methylation effects on gene expression at asthma colocalized loci. RESULTS Asthma and allergic disease-associated GWAS SNPs were specifically enriched among molecular QTLs in AECs, but not in GWASs from non-immune diseases, and in AEC eQTLs, but not among eQTLs from other tissues. Colocalization analyses of AEC QTLs with asthma GWAS variants revealed potential molecular mechanisms of asthma, including QTLs at the TSLP locus that were common to both the RV and vehicle treatments and to both childhood onset and adult onset asthma, as well as QTLs at the 17q12-21 asthma locus that were specific to RV exposure and childhood onset asthma, consistent with clinical and epidemiological studies of these loci. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence of functional effects for asthma risk variants in AECs and insight into RV-mediated transcriptional and epigenetic response mechanisms that modulate genetic effects in the airway and risk for asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus M Soliai
- Departments of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Atsushi Kato
- Departments of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Britney A Helling
- Departments of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - James E Norton
- Departments of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Aiko I Klinger
- Departments of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Emma E Thompson
- Departments of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Selene M Clay
- Departments of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Soyeon Kim
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Juan C Celedón
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - James E Gern
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Daniel J Jackson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Matthew C Altman
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Systems Immunology Program, Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Robert C Kern
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bruce K Tan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Robert P Schleimer
- Departments of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dan L Nicolae
- Department of Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jayant M Pinto
- Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Carole Ober
- Departments of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Mehra P, Wells AD. Variant to Gene Mapping to Discover New Targets for Immune Tolerance. Front Immunol 2021; 12:633219. [PMID: 33936046 PMCID: PMC8082446 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.633219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The breakdown of immunological tolerance leads to autoimmune disease, and the mechanisms that maintain self-tolerance, especially in humans, are not fully understood. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified hundreds of human genetic loci statistically linked to autoimmune disease risk, and epigenetic modifications of DNA and chromatin at these loci have been associated with autoimmune disease risk. Because the vast majority of these signals are located far from genes, identifying causal variants, and their functional consequences on the correct effector genes, has been challenging. These limitations have hampered the translation of GWAS findings into novel drug targets and clinical interventions, but recent advances in understanding the spatial organization of the genome in the nucleus have offered mechanistic insights into gene regulation and answers to questions left open by GWAS. Here we discuss the potential for 'variant-to-gene mapping' approaches that integrate GWAS with 3D functional genomic data to identify human genes involved in the maintenance of tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul Mehra
- Department of Pathology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Andrew D Wells
- Department of Pathology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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6
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Comprehensive functional annotation of susceptibility variants associated with asthma. Hum Genet 2020; 139:1037-1053. [PMID: 32240371 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-020-02151-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified hundreds of primarily non-coding disease-susceptibility variants that further need functional interpretation to prioritize and discriminate the disease-relevant variants. We present a comprehensive genome-wide non-coding variant prioritization scheme followed by validation using Pyrosequencing and TaqMan assays in asthma. We implemented a composite Functional Annotation Score (cFAS) to investigate over 32,000 variants consisting of 1525 GWAS-lead asthma-susceptibility variants and their LD proxies (r2 ≥ 0.80). Functional annotation pipeline in cFAS revealed 274 variants with significant score at 1% false discovery rate. This study implicates a novel locus 4p16 (SLC26A1) with eQTL variant (rs11936407) and known loci in 17q12-21 and 5q22 which encode ORM1-like protein 3 (ORMDL3, rs406527, and rs12936231) and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP, rs3806932 and rs10073816) epithelial gene, respectively. Follow-up validation analysis through pyrosequencing of CpG sites in and nearby rs4065275 and rs11936407 showed genotype-dependent hypomethylation on asthma cases compared with healthy controls. Prioritized variants are enriched for asthma-specific histone modification associated with active chromatin (H3K4me1 and H3K27ac) in T cells, B cells, lung, and immune-related interferon gamma signaling pathways. Our findings, together with those from prior studies, suggest that SNPs can affect asthma by regulating enhancer activity, and our comprehensive bioinformatics and functional analysis could lead to biological insights into asthma pathogenesis.Graphic abstract.
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Johansson H, Mersha TB, Brandt EB, Khurana Hershey GK. Interactions between environmental pollutants and genetic susceptibility in asthma risk. Curr Opin Immunol 2019; 60:156-162. [PMID: 31470287 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2019.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to air pollution is associated with enhanced risk of developing asthma, notably in the presence of genetic risk factors. Interaction analyses have shown that both outdoor and indoor air pollution interact with genetic variability to increase the incidence of asthma. In this review, we summarize recent progress in candidate gene-based studies, as well as genome-wide gene-air pollution interaction studies. Advances in epigenetics have provided evidence for DNA methylation as a mediator in gene-air pollution interactions. Emerging strategies for study design and statistical analyses may improve power in future studies. Improved air pollution exposure assessment methods and asthma endo-typing can also be expected to increase the ability to detect biologically driven gene-air pollution interaction effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Johansson
- Division of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Tesfaye B Mersha
- Division of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Eric B Brandt
- Division of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Gurjit K Khurana Hershey
- Division of Asthma Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
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Miao C, Yang J, Schnable JC. Optimising the identification of causal variants across varying genetic architectures in crops. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2019; 17:893-905. [PMID: 30320953 PMCID: PMC6587547 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Association studies use statistical links between genetic markers and the phenotype variation across many individuals to identify genes controlling variation in the target phenotype. However, this approach, particularly conducted on a genome-wide scale (GWAS), has limited power to identify the genes responsible for variation in traits controlled by complex genetic architectures. In this study, we employ real-world genotype datasets from four crop species with distinct minor allele frequency distributions, population structures and linkage disequilibrium patterns. We demonstrate that different GWAS statistical approaches provide favourable trade-offs between power and accuracy for traits controlled by different types of genetic architectures. FarmCPU provides the most favourable outcomes for moderately complex traits while a Bayesian approach adopted from genomic prediction provides the most favourable outcomes for extremely complex traits. We assert that by estimating the complexity of genetic architectures for target traits and selecting an appropriate statistical approach for the degree of complexity detected, researchers can substantially improve the ability to dissect the genetic factors controlling complex traits such as flowering time, plant height and yield component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyong Miao
- Department of Agronomy and HorticultureUniversity of Nebraska‐LincolnLincolnNEUSA
- Center for Plant Science InnovationUniversity of Nebraska‐LincolnLincolnNEUSA
| | - Jinliang Yang
- Department of Agronomy and HorticultureUniversity of Nebraska‐LincolnLincolnNEUSA
- Center for Plant Science InnovationUniversity of Nebraska‐LincolnLincolnNEUSA
| | - James C. Schnable
- Department of Agronomy and HorticultureUniversity of Nebraska‐LincolnLincolnNEUSA
- Center for Plant Science InnovationUniversity of Nebraska‐LincolnLincolnNEUSA
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Sieber KB, Batorsky A, Siebenthall K, Hudkins KL, Vierstra JD, Sullivan S, Sur A, McNulty M, Sandstrom R, Reynolds A, Bates D, Diegel M, Dunn D, Nelson J, Buckley M, Kaul R, Sampson MG, Himmelfarb J, Alpers CE, Waterworth D, Akilesh S. Integrated Functional Genomic Analysis Enables Annotation of Kidney Genome-Wide Association Study Loci. J Am Soc Nephrol 2019; 30:421-441. [PMID: 30760496 PMCID: PMC6405142 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2018030309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Linking genetic risk loci identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to their causal genes remains a major challenge. Disease-associated genetic variants are concentrated in regions containing regulatory DNA elements, such as promoters and enhancers. Although researchers have previously published DNA maps of these regulatory regions for kidney tubule cells and glomerular endothelial cells, maps for podocytes and mesangial cells have not been available. METHODS We generated regulatory DNA maps (DNase-seq) and paired gene expression profiles (RNA-seq) from primary outgrowth cultures of human glomeruli that were composed mainly of podocytes and mesangial cells. We generated similar datasets from renal cortex cultures, to compare with those of the glomerular cultures. Because regulatory DNA elements can act on target genes across large genomic distances, we also generated a chromatin conformation map from freshly isolated human glomeruli. RESULTS We identified thousands of unique regulatory DNA elements, many located close to transcription factor genes, which the glomerular and cortex samples expressed at different levels. We found that genetic variants associated with kidney diseases (GWAS) and kidney expression quantitative trait loci were enriched in regulatory DNA regions. By combining GWAS, epigenomic, and chromatin conformation data, we functionally annotated 46 kidney disease genes. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate a powerful approach to functionally connect kidney disease-/trait-associated loci to their target genes by leveraging unique regulatory DNA maps and integrated epigenomic and genetic analysis. This process can be applied to other kidney cell types and will enhance our understanding of genome regulation and its effects on gene expression in kidney disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Batorsky
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington
| | | | | | - Jeff D Vierstra
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington
| | | | - Aakash Sur
- Phase Genomics Inc., Seattle, Washington
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, and
| | - Michelle McNulty
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and
| | | | - Alex Reynolds
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington
| | - Daniel Bates
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington
| | - Morgan Diegel
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington
| | - Douglass Dunn
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington
| | - Jemma Nelson
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington
| | - Michael Buckley
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington
| | - Rajinder Kaul
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington
| | - Matthew G Sampson
- Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and
| | - Jonathan Himmelfarb
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
- Kidney Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Charles E Alpers
- Department of Anatomic Pathology
- Kidney Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | | | - Shreeram Akilesh
- Department of Anatomic Pathology,
- Kidney Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
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Alaskhar Alhamwe B, Khalaila R, Wolf J, von Bülow V, Harb H, Alhamdan F, Hii CS, Prescott SL, Ferrante A, Renz H, Garn H, Potaczek DP. Histone modifications and their role in epigenetics of atopy and allergic diseases. ALLERGY, ASTHMA, AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY 2018; 14:39. [PMID: 29796022 PMCID: PMC5966915 DOI: 10.1186/s13223-018-0259-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
This review covers basic aspects of histone modification and the role of posttranslational histone modifications in the development of allergic diseases, including the immune mechanisms underlying this development. Together with DNA methylation, histone modifications (including histone acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, etc.) represent the classical epigenetic mechanisms. However, much less attention has been given to histone modifications than to DNA methylation in the context of allergy. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to provide an unbiased and comprehensive update on the involvement of histone modifications in allergy and the mechanisms underlying this development. In addition to covering the growing interest in the contribution of histone modifications in regulating the development of allergic diseases, this review summarizes some of the evidence supporting this contribution. There are at least two levels at which the role of histone modifications is manifested. One is the regulation of cells that contribute to the allergic inflammation (T cells and macrophages) and those that participate in airway remodeling [(myo-) fibroblasts]. The other is the direct association between histone modifications and allergic phenotypes. Inhibitors of histone-modifying enzymes may potentially be used as anti-allergic drugs. Furthermore, epigenetic patterns may provide novel tools in the diagnosis of allergic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilal Alaskhar Alhamwe
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- inVIVO Planetary Health, Group of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), New York, NJ USA
| | - Razi Khalaila
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Wolf
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Verena von Bülow
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Hani Harb
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- inVIVO Planetary Health, Group of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), New York, NJ USA
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Gießen, Germany
- Present Address: Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Fahd Alhamdan
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Charles S. Hii
- Department of Immunopathology, SA Pathology, Women and Children’s Hospital Campus, North Adelaide, SA Australia
- Robinson Research Institute, School of Medicine and School of Biological Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA Australia
| | - Susan L. Prescott
- inVIVO Planetary Health, Group of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), New York, NJ USA
- School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA Australia
| | - Antonio Ferrante
- inVIVO Planetary Health, Group of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), New York, NJ USA
- Department of Immunopathology, SA Pathology, Women and Children’s Hospital Campus, North Adelaide, SA Australia
- Robinson Research Institute, School of Medicine and School of Biological Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA Australia
| | - Harald Renz
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- inVIVO Planetary Health, Group of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), New York, NJ USA
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Gießen, Germany
| | - Holger Garn
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Gießen, Germany
| | - Daniel P. Potaczek
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiochemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Straße 3, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- inVIVO Planetary Health, Group of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), New York, NJ USA
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Gießen, Germany
- John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland
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11
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Adult Neural Stem Cells: Basic Research and Production Strategies for Neurorestorative Therapy. Stem Cells Int 2018; 2018:4835491. [PMID: 29760724 PMCID: PMC5901847 DOI: 10.1155/2018/4835491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Over many decades, constructing genetically and phenotypically stable lines of neural stem cells (NSC) for clinical purposes with the aim of restoring irreversibly lost functions of nervous tissue has been one of the major goals for multiple research groups. The unique ability of stem cells to maintain their own pluripotent state even in the adult body has made them into the choice object of study. With the development of the technology for induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and direct transdifferentiation of somatic cells into the desired cell type, the initial research approaches based on the use of allogeneic NSCs from embryonic or fetal nervous tissue are gradually becoming a thing of the past. This review deals with basic molecular mechanisms for maintaining the pluripotent state of embryonic/induced stem and reprogrammed somatic cells, as well as with currently existing reprogramming strategies. The focus is on performing direct reprogramming while bypassing the stage of iPSCs which is known for genetic instability and an increased risk of tumorigenesis. A detailed description of various protocols for obtaining reprogrammed neural cells used in the therapy of the nervous system pathology is also provided.
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12
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Tumes DJ, Papadopoulos M, Endo Y, Onodera A, Hirahara K, Nakayama T. Epigenetic regulation of T-helper cell differentiation, memory, and plasticity in allergic asthma. Immunol Rev 2018; 278:8-19. [PMID: 28658556 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
An estimated 300 million people currently suffer from asthma, which causes approximately 250 000 deaths a year. Allergen-specific T-helper (Th) cells produce cytokines that induce many of the hallmark features of asthma including airways hyperreactivity, eosinophilic and neutrophilic inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, and airway remodeling. Cytokine-producing Th subsets including Th1 (IFN-γ), Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13), Th9 (IL-9), Th17 (IL-17), Th22 (IL-22), and T regulatory (IL-10) cells have all been suggested to play a role in the development of asthma. Th differentiation involves genetic regulation of gene expression through the concerted action of cytokines, transcription factors, and epigenetic regulators. We describe how Th differentiation and plasticity is regulated by epigenetic histone and DNA modifications, with a focus on the regulation of histone methylation by members of the polycomb and trithorax complexes. In addition, we outline environmental influences that could influence epigenetic regulation of Th cells and discuss the potential to regulate Th plasticity and function through drugs targeting the epigenetic machinery. It is also becoming apparent that epigenetic regulation of allergen-specific memory Th cells may be important in the development and persistence of chronic allergies. Finally, we describe how epigenetic modifiers regulate cytokine memory in Th cells and describe recently identified hybrid, plastic, and pathogenic memory Th subsets the context of allergic asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damon J Tumes
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Yusuke Endo
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Atsushi Onodera
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Hirahara
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Toshinori Nakayama
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.,AMED-CREST, AMED, Chiba, Japan
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13
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Kumagai J, Hirahara K, Nakayama T. Pathogenic Th cell subsets in chronic inflammatory diseases. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 39:114-23. [PMID: 27212597 DOI: 10.2177/jsci.39.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
CD4(+) T cells play central roles to appropriate protection against pathogens. While, they can also be pathogenic driving inflammatory diseases. Besides the classical model of differentiation of T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cells, various CD4(+) T cell subsets, including Th17, Th9, T follicular helper (Tfh) and T regulatory (Treg) cells, have been recognized recently. In this review, we will focus on how these various CD4(+) T cell subsets contribute to the pathogenesis of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. We will also discuss various unique subpopulations of T helper cells that have been identified. Recent advancement of the basic immunological research revealed that T helper cells are plastic than we imagined. So, we will focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying the generation of the plasticity and heterogeneity of T helper cell subsets. These latest finding regarding T helper cell subsets has pushed us to reconsider the etiology of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases beyond the model based on the conventional Th1/Th2 balance. Toward this end, we put forward another model, "the pathogenic Th population disease induction model", as a possible mechanism for the induction and/or persistence of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Kumagai
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University
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14
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Mokry M, Harakalova M, Asselbergs FW, de Bakker PIW, Nieuwenhuis EES. Extensive Association of Common Disease Variants with Regulatory Sequence. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0165893. [PMID: 27875544 PMCID: PMC5119736 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Overlap between non-coding DNA regulatory sequences and common variant associations can help to identify specific cell and tissue types that are relevant for particular diseases. In a systematic manner, we analyzed variants from 94 genome-wide association studies (reporting at least 12 loci at p<5x10-8) by projecting them onto 466 epigenetic datasets (characterizing DNase I hypersensitive sites; DHSs) derived from various adult and fetal tissue samples and cell lines including many biological replicates. We were able to confirm many expected associations, such as the involvement of specific immune cell types in immune-related diseases and tissue types in diseases that affect specific organs, for example, inflammatory bowel disease and coronary artery disease. Other notable associations include adrenal glands in coronary artery disease, the immune system in Alzheimer’s disease, and the kidney for bone marrow density. The association signals for some GWAS (for example, myopia or age at menarche) did not show a clear pattern with any of the cell or tissue types studied. In general, the identified variants from GWAS tend to be located outside coding regions. Altogether, we have performed an extensive characterization of GWAS signals in relation to cell and tissue-specific DHSs, demonstrating a key role for regulatory mechanisms in common diseases and complex traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Mokry
- Division of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584 EA, The Netherlands
- * E-mail: (MM); (EESN)
| | - Magdalena Harakalova
- Department of Cardiology, Division Heart and Lungs, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Folkert W. Asselbergs
- Department of Cardiology, Division Heart and Lungs, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508 GA, The Netherlands
- Durrer Center for Cardiogenetic Research, ICIN-Netherlands Heart Institute, Utrecht, 3501 DG, The Netherlands
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, faculty of Population Health Sciences, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Paul I. W. de Bakker
- Department of Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508 GA, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3508 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Edward E. S. Nieuwenhuis
- Division of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584 EA, The Netherlands
- * E-mail: (MM); (EESN)
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15
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17q21 asthma-risk variants switch CTCF binding and regulate IL-2 production by T cells. Nat Commun 2016; 7:13426. [PMID: 27848966 PMCID: PMC5116091 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Asthma and autoimmune disease susceptibility has been strongly linked to genetic variants in the 17q21 haploblock that alter the expression of ORMDL3; however, the molecular mechanisms by which these variants perturb gene expression and the cell types in which this effect is most prominent are unclear. We found several 17q21 variants overlapped enhancers present mainly in primary immune cell types. CD4+ T cells showed the greatest increase (threefold) in ORMDL3 expression in individuals carrying the asthma-risk alleles, where ORMDL3 negatively regulated interleukin-2 production. The asthma-risk variants rs4065275 and rs12936231 switched CTCF-binding sites in the 17q21 locus, and 4C-Seq assays showed that several distal cis-regulatory elements upstream of the disrupted ZPBP2 CTCF-binding site interacted with the ORMDL3 promoter region in CD4+ T cells exclusively from subjects carrying asthma-risk alleles. Overall, our results suggested that T cells are one of the most prominent cell types affected by 17q21 variants. Variations in the 17q21 locus are linked to asthma susceptibility and other autoimmune diseases. Here, the authors perform cell type-specific functional genomic analyses of asthma-risk SNPs, and show a genotype specific mechanism of differential gene regulation relevant to immune function.
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16
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Hirahara K, Nakayama T. CD4+ T-cell subsets in inflammatory diseases: beyond the Th1/Th2 paradigm. Int Immunol 2016; 28:163-71. [PMID: 26874355 PMCID: PMC4889886 DOI: 10.1093/intimm/dxw006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 288] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
CD4(+)T cells are crucial for directing appropriate immune responses during host defense and for the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. In addition to the classical biphasic model of differentiation of T-helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cells, unexpected increases in the numbers of CD4(+)T-cell subsets, including Th17, Th9, T follicular-helper (Tfh) and T-regulatory (Treg) cells, have been recognized. In the present review, we focus on how these various T-helper cell subsets contribute to the pathogenesis of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. In particular, we focus on multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and asthma as typical model diseases in which multiple T-helper cell subsets have recently been suggested to play a role. We will also discuss various unique sub-populations of T-helper cells that have been identified. First, we will introduce the heterogeneous T-helper cell subsets, which are classified by their simultaneous expression of multiple key transcription factors. We will also introduce different kinds of memory-type Th2 cells, which are involved in the pathogenesis of chronic type-2 immune-related diseases. Finally, we will discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying the generation of the plasticity and heterogeneity of T-helper cell subsets. The latest progress in the study of T-helper cell subsets has forced us to reconsider the etiology of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases beyond the model based on the Th1/Th2 balance. To this end, we propose another model--the pathogenic T-helper population disease-induction model--as a possible mechanism for the induction and/or persistence of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyoshi Hirahara
- Department of Advanced Allergology of the Airway, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
| | - Toshinori Nakayama
- Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan AMED-CREST, The Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), 1-8-1 Inohana Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
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17
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Warburton A, Miyajima F, Shazadi K, Crossley J, Johnson MR, Marson AG, Baker GA, Quinn JP, Sills GJ. NRSF and BDNF polymorphisms as biomarkers of cognitive dysfunction in adults with newly diagnosed epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2016; 54:117-27. [PMID: 26708060 PMCID: PMC4732989 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2015.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Revised: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction is a common comorbidity in people with epilepsy, but its causes remain unclear. It may be related to the etiology of the disorder, the consequences of seizures, or the effects of antiepileptic drug treatment. Genetics may also play a contributory role. We investigated the influence of variants in the genes encoding neuron-restrictive silencer factor (NRSF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), proteins previously associated with cognition and epilepsy, on cognitive function in people with newly diagnosed epilepsy. A total of 82 patients who had previously undergone detailed neuropsychological assessment were genotyped for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the NRSF and BDNF genes. Putatively functional SNPs were included in a genetic association analysis with specific cognitive domains, including memory, psychomotor speed, and information processing. Cross-sectional and longitudinal designs were used to explore genetic influences on baseline cognition at diagnosis and change from baseline over the first year since diagnosis, respectively. We found a statistically significant association between genotypic variation and memory function at both baseline (NRSF: rs1105434, rs2227902 and BDNF: rs1491850, rs2030324, rs11030094) and in our longitudinal analysis (NRSF: rs2227902 and BDNF: rs12273363). Psychomotor speed was also associated with genotype (NRSF rs3796529) in the longitudinal assessment. In line with our previous work on general cognitive function in the healthy aging population, we observed an additive interaction between risk alleles for the NRSF rs2227902 (G) and BDNF rs6265 (A) polymorphisms which was again consistent with a significantly greater decline in delayed recall over the first year since diagnosis. These findings support a role for the NRSF-BDNF pathway in the modulation of cognitive function in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alix Warburton
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK
| | - Fabio Miyajima
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK
| | - Kanvel Shazadi
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK
| | - Joanne Crossley
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK
| | | | - Anthony G Marson
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK
| | - Gus A Baker
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK
| | - John P Quinn
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK
| | - Graeme J Sills
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK.
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18
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Barr CL, Misener VL. Decoding the non-coding genome: elucidating genetic risk outside the coding genome. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2016; 15:187-204. [PMID: 26515765 PMCID: PMC4833497 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Revised: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Current evidence emerging from genome-wide association studies indicates that the genetic underpinnings of complex traits are likely attributable to genetic variation that changes gene expression, rather than (or in combination with) variation that changes protein-coding sequences. This is particularly compelling with respect to psychiatric disorders, as genetic changes in regulatory regions may result in differential transcriptional responses to developmental cues and environmental/psychosocial stressors. Until recently, however, the link between transcriptional regulation and psychiatric genetic risk has been understudied. Multiple obstacles have contributed to the paucity of research in this area, including challenges in identifying the positions of remote (distal from the promoter) regulatory elements (e.g. enhancers) and their target genes and the underrepresentation of neural cell types and brain tissues in epigenome projects - the availability of high-quality brain tissues for epigenetic and transcriptome profiling, particularly for the adolescent and developing brain, has been limited. Further challenges have arisen in the prediction and testing of the functional impact of DNA variation with respect to multiple aspects of transcriptional control, including regulatory-element interaction (e.g. between enhancers and promoters), transcription factor binding and DNA methylation. Further, the brain has uncommon DNA-methylation marks with unique genomic distributions not found in other tissues - current evidence suggests the involvement of non-CG methylation and 5-hydroxymethylation in neurodevelopmental processes but much remains unknown. We review here knowledge gaps as well as both technological and resource obstacles that will need to be overcome in order to elucidate the involvement of brain-relevant gene-regulatory variants in genetic risk for psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. L. Barr
- Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - V. L. Misener
- Toronto Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
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19
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Abstract
Asthma is a chronic disease which causes recurrent breathlessness affecting 300 million people worldwide of whom 250,000 die annually. The epigenome is a set of heritable modifications and tags that affect the genome without changing the intrinsic DNA sequence. These marks include DNA methylation, modifications to histone proteins around which DNA is wrapped and expression of noncoding RNA. Alterations in all of these processes have been reported in patients with asthma. In some cases these differences are linked to disease severity and susceptibility and may account for the limited value of genetic studies in asthma. Animal models of asthma suggest that epigenetic modifications and processes are linked to asthma and may be tractable targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter O Brook
- Imperial College London, National Heart & Lung Institute, Dovehouse Street, London, SW3 6LY, UK
| | - Mark M Perry
- Imperial College London, National Heart & Lung Institute, Dovehouse Street, London, SW3 6LY, UK
| | - Ian M Adcock
- Imperial College London, National Heart & Lung Institute, Dovehouse Street, London, SW3 6LY, UK
| | - Andrew L Durham
- Imperial College London, National Heart & Lung Institute, Dovehouse Street, London, SW3 6LY, UK
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20
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Trynka G, Westra HJ, Slowikowski K, Hu X, Xu H, Stranger BE, Klein RJ, Han B, Raychaudhuri S. Disentangling the Effects of Colocalizing Genomic Annotations to Functionally Prioritize Non-coding Variants within Complex-Trait Loci. Am J Hum Genet 2015; 97:139-52. [PMID: 26140449 PMCID: PMC4572568 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2015.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying genomic annotations that differentiate causal from trait-associated variants is essential to fine mapping disease loci. Although many studies have identified non-coding functional annotations that overlap disease-associated variants, these annotations often colocalize, complicating the ability to use these annotations for fine mapping causal variation. We developed a statistical approach (Genomic Annotation Shifter [GoShifter]) to assess whether enriched annotations are able to prioritize causal variation. GoShifter defines the null distribution of an annotation overlapping an allele by locally shifting annotations; this approach is less sensitive to biases arising from local genomic structure than commonly used enrichment methods that depend on SNP matching. Local shifting also allows GoShifter to identify independent causal effects from colocalizing annotations. Using GoShifter, we confirmed that variants in expression quantitative trail loci drive gene-expression changes though DNase-I hypersensitive sites (DHSs) near transcription start sites and independently through 3' UTR regulation. We also showed that (1) 15%-36% of trait-associated loci map to DHSs independently of other annotations; (2) loci associated with breast cancer and rheumatoid arthritis harbor potentially causal variants near the summits of histone marks rather than full peak bodies; (3) variants associated with height are highly enriched in embryonic stem cell DHSs; and (4) we can effectively prioritize causal variation at specific loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gosia Trynka
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Partners Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Harm-Jan Westra
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Partners Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Kamil Slowikowski
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Partners Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Xinli Hu
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Partners Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Han Xu
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Barbara E Stranger
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Robert J Klein
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Buhm Han
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Partners Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 138-736, Republic of Korea; Department of Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 138-736, Republic of Korea
| | - Soumya Raychaudhuri
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Partners Center for Personalized Genetic Medicine, Boston, MA 02446, USA; Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
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Genetic-epigenetic dysregulation of thymic TSH receptor gene expression triggers thyroid autoimmunity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:12562-7. [PMID: 25122677 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1408821111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Graves disease (GD) is an autoimmune condition caused by interacting genetic and environmental factors. Genetic studies have mapped several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are strongly associated with GD, but the mechanisms by which they trigger disease are unknown. We hypothesized that epigenetic modifications induced by microenvironmental influences of cytokines can reveal the functionality of GD-associated SNPs. We analyzed genome-wide histone H3 lysine 4 methylation and gene expression in thyroid cells induced by IFNα, a key cytokine secreted during viral infections, and overlapped them with known GD-associated SNPs. We mapped an open chromatin region overlapping two adjacent GD-associated SNPs (rs12101255 and rs12101261) in intron 1 of the thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) gene. We then demonstrated that this region functions as a regulatory element through binding of the transcriptional repressor promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger protein (PLZF) at the rs12101261 site. Repression by PLZF depended on the rs12101261 disease susceptibility allele and was increased by IFNα. Intrathymic TSHR expression was decreased in individuals homozygous for the rs12101261 disease-associated genotype compared with carriers of the disease-protective allele. Our studies discovered a genetic-epigenetic interaction involving a noncoding SNP in the TSHR gene that regulates thymic TSHR gene expression and facilitates escape of TSHR-reactive T cells from central tolerance, triggering GD.
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22
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Epigenomic analysis of primary human T cells reveals enhancers associated with TH2 memory cell differentiation and asthma susceptibility. Nat Immunol 2014; 15:777-88. [PMID: 24997565 DOI: 10.1038/ni.2937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 06/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
A characteristic feature of asthma is the aberrant accumulation, differentiation or function of memory CD4(+) T cells that produce type 2 cytokines (TH2 cells). By mapping genome-wide histone modification profiles for subsets of T cells isolated from peripheral blood of healthy and asthmatic individuals, we identified enhancers with known and potential roles in the normal differentiation of human TH1 cells and TH2 cells. We discovered disease-specific enhancers in T cells that differ between healthy and asthmatic individuals. Enhancers that gained the histone H3 Lys4 dimethyl (H3K4me2) mark during TH2 cell development showed the highest enrichment for asthma-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which supported a pathogenic role for TH2 cells in asthma. In silico analysis of cell-specific enhancers revealed transcription factors, microRNAs and genes potentially linked to human TH2 cell differentiation. Our results establish the feasibility and utility of enhancer profiling in well-defined populations of specialized cell types involved in disease pathogenesis.
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Chen CY, Chang IS, Hsiung CA, Wasserman WW. On the identification of potential regulatory variants within genome wide association candidate SNP sets. BMC Med Genomics 2014; 7:34. [PMID: 24920305 PMCID: PMC4066296 DOI: 10.1186/1755-8794-7-34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome wide association studies (GWAS) are a population-scale approach to the identification of segments of the genome in which genetic variations may contribute to disease risk. Current methods focus on the discovery of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with disease traits. As there are many SNPs within identified risk loci, and the majority of these are situated within non-coding regions, a key challenge is to identify and prioritize variants affecting regulatory sequences that are likely to contribute to the phenotype assessed. METHODS We focused investigation on SNPs within lung and breast cancer GWAS loci that reached genome-wide significance for potential roles in gene regulation with a specific focus on SNPs likely to disrupt transcription factor binding sites. Within risk loci, the regulatory potential of sub-regions was classified using relevant open chromatin and epigenetic high throughput sequencing data sets from the ENCODE project in available cancer and normal cell lines. Furthermore, transcription factor affinity altering variants were predicted by comparison of position weight matrix scores between disease and reference alleles. Lastly, ChIP-seq data of transcription associated factors and topological domains were included as binding evidence and potential gene target inference. RESULTS The sets of SNPs, including both the disease-associated markers and those in high linkage disequilibrium with them, were significantly over-represented in regulatory sequences of cancer and/or normal cells; however, over-representation was generally not restricted to disease-relevant tissue specific regions. The calculated regulatory potential, allelic binding affinity scores and ChIP-seq binding evidence were the three criteria used to prioritize candidates. Fitting all three criteria, we highlighted breast cancer susceptibility SNPs and a borderline lung cancer relevant SNP located in cancer-specific enhancers overlapping multiple distinct transcription associated factor ChIP-seq binding sites. CONCLUSION Incorporating high throughput sequencing epigenetic and transcription factor data sets from both cancer and normal cells into cancer genetic studies reveals potential functional SNPs and informs subsequent characterization efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-yu Chen
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Graduate Program in Bioinformatics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - I-Shou Chang
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Chao A Hsiung
- Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
| | - Wyeth W Wasserman
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Meyers DA, Bleecker ER, Holloway JW, Holgate ST. Asthma genetics and personalised medicine. THE LANCET. RESPIRATORY MEDICINE 2014; 2:405-15. [PMID: 24794577 PMCID: PMC4768462 DOI: 10.1016/s2213-2600(14)70012-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Unbiased genetic approaches, especially genome-wide association studies, have identified novel genetic targets in the pathogenesis of asthma, but so far these targets account for only a small proportion of the heritability of asthma. Recognition of the importance of disease heterogeneity, the need for improved disease phenotyping, and the fact that genes involved in the inception of asthma are likely to be different from those involved in severity widens the scope of asthma genetics. The identification of genes implicated in several causal pathways suggests that genetic scores could be used to capture the effect of genetic variations on individuals. Gene-environment interaction adds another layer of complexity, which is being successfully explored by epigenetic approaches. Pharmacogenetics is one example of how gene-environment interactions are already being taken into account in the identification of drug responders and non-responders, and patients most susceptible to adverse effects. Such applications represent one component of personalised medicine, an approach that places the individual at the centre of health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A Meyers
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine Research, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Eugene R Bleecker
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine Research, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - John W Holloway
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine Research, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Stephen T Holgate
- Human Development and Health, and Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
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Genome-wide association studies in asthma; perhaps, the end of the beginning. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2014; 13:463-9. [PMID: 23945178 DOI: 10.1097/aci.0b013e328364ea5f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW A large number of genetic loci contribute towards an individual's susceptibility to asthma and other complex diseases. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have provided us with a wealth of loci associated with asthma susceptibility, asthma endotypes and responsiveness to asthma medications. The reproducibility of these genetic loci across different studies highlights the interplay of general and population-specific risk alleles in asthma. Although GWASs have been successful in identifying disease-associated loci, there is still large potential for such studies to provide further insights into asthma pathogenesis. RECENT FINDINGS GWASs over the past year have extended study design well beyond the simple case-control and continuous phenotype association formats, for example, including interactions with environmental factors, integrating GWAS data with epigenetic data and GWASs in animal models, incorporating pathway analyses and utilising emerging sequencing technologies. SUMMARY Moving beyond traditional GWAS formats is likely to significantly enhance our understanding of the genetic basis for asthma. This review discusses where we are after half a decade of asthma GWASs, and focuses on advances over the past year that show where the GWAS field is headed in the future.
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Joint analysis of functional genomic data and genome-wide association studies of 18 human traits. Am J Hum Genet 2014; 94:559-73. [PMID: 24702953 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2014.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 379] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2013] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Annotations of gene structures and regulatory elements can inform genome-wide association studies (GWASs). However, choosing the relevant annotations for interpreting an association study of a given trait remains challenging. I describe a statistical model that uses association statistics computed across the genome to identify classes of genomic elements that are enriched with or depleted of loci influencing a trait. The model naturally incorporates multiple types of annotations. I applied the model to GWASs of 18 human traits, including red blood cell traits, platelet traits, glucose levels, lipid levels, height, body mass index, and Crohn disease. For each trait, I used the model to evaluate the relevance of 450 different genomic annotations, including protein-coding genes, enhancers, and DNase-I hypersensitive sites in over 100 tissues and cell lines. The fraction of phenotype-associated SNPs influencing protein sequence ranged from around 2% (for platelet volume) up to around 20% (for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), repressed chromatin was significantly depleted for SNPs associated with several traits, and cell-type-specific DNase-I hypersensitive sites were enriched with SNPs associated with several traits (for example, the spleen in platelet volume). Finally, reweighting each GWAS by using information from functional genomics increased the number of loci with high-confidence associations by around 5%.
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