@article {1544, title = {Ultraconserved elements in the human genome: association and transmission analyses of highly constrained single-nucleotide polymorphisms.}, journal = {Genetics}, volume = {192}, year = {2012}, month = {2012 Sep}, pages = {253-66}, abstract = {

Ultraconserved elements in the human genome likely harbor important biological functions as they are dosage sensitive and are able to direct tissue-specific expression. Because they are under purifying selection, variants in these elements may have a lower frequency in the population but a higher likelihood of association with complex traits. We tested a set of highly constrained SNPs (hcSNPs) distributed genome-wide among ultraconserved and nearly ultraconserved elements for association with seven traits related to reproductive (age at natural menopause, number of children, age at first child, and age at last child) and overall [longevity, body mass index (BMI), and height] fitness. Using up to 24,047 European-American samples from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Candidate Gene Association Resource (CARe), we observed an excess of associations with BMI and height. In an independent replication panel the most strongly associated SNPs showed an 8.4-fold enrichment of associations at the nominal level, including three variants in previously identified loci and one in a locus (DENND1A) previously shown to be associated with polycystic ovary syndrome. Finally, using 1430 family trios, we showed that the transmissions from heterozygous parents to offspring of the derived alleles of rare (frequency <= 0.5\%) hcSNPs are not biased, particularly after adjusting for the rates of genotype missingness and error in the data. The lack of transmission bias ruled out an immediately and strongly deleterious effect due to the rare derived alleles, consistent with the observation that mice homozygous for the deletion of ultraconserved elements showed no overt phenotype. Our study also illustrated the importance of carefully modeling potential technical confounders when analyzing genotype data of rare variants.

}, keywords = {Alleles, Animals, Body Height, Body Mass Index, Child, Conserved Sequence, Dogs, Evolution, Molecular, Female, Genetic Fitness, Genetic Variation, Genome, Human, Genotype, Humans, Inheritance Patterns, Male, Mice, Pedigree, Phenotype, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Rats, Reproduction, Young Adult}, issn = {1943-2631}, doi = {10.1534/genetics.112.141945}, author = {Chiang, Charleston W K and Liu, Ching-Ti and Lettre, Guillaume and Lange, Leslie A and Jorgensen, Neal W and Keating, Brendan J and Vedantam, Sailaja and Nock, Nora L and Franceschini, Nora and Reiner, Alex P and Demerath, Ellen W and Boerwinkle, Eric and Rotter, Jerome I and Wilson, James G and North, Kari E and Papanicolaou, George J and Cupples, L Adrienne and Murabito, Joanne M and Hirschhorn, Joel N} } @article {6827, title = {Association of functional polymorphism rs2231142 (Q141K) in the ABCG2 gene with serum uric acid and gout in 4 US populations: the PAGE Study.}, journal = {Am J Epidemiol}, volume = {177}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 May 1}, pages = {923-32}, abstract = {

A loss-of-function mutation (Q141K, rs2231142) in the ATP-binding cassette, subfamily G, member 2 gene (ABCG2) has been shown to be associated with serum uric acid levels and gout in Asians, Europeans, and European and African Americans; however, less is known about these associations in other populations. Rs2231142 was genotyped in 22,734 European Americans, 9,720 African Americans, 3,849 Mexican Americans, and 3,550 American Indians in the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) Study (2008-2012). Rs2231142 was significantly associated with serum uric acid levels (P = 2.37 {\texttimes} 10(-67), P = 3.98 {\texttimes} 10(-5), P = 6.97 {\texttimes} 10(-9), and P = 5.33 {\texttimes} 10(-4) in European Americans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, and American Indians, respectively) and gout (P = 2.83 {\texttimes} 10(-10), P = 0.01, and P = 0.01 in European Americans, African Americans, and Mexican Americans, respectively). Overall, the T allele was associated with a 0.24-mg/dL increase in serum uric acid level (P = 1.37 {\texttimes} 10(-80)) and a 1.75-fold increase in the odds of gout (P = 1.09 {\texttimes} 10(-12)). The association between rs2231142 and serum uric acid was significantly stronger in men, postmenopausal women, and hormone therapy users compared with their counterparts. The association with gout was also significantly stronger in men than in women. These results highlight a possible role of sex hormones in the regulation of ABCG2 urate transporter and its potential implications for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hyperuricemia and gout.

}, keywords = {Adult, African Americans, Age Distribution, ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters, Comorbidity, European Continental Ancestry Group, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genetics, Population, Genome-Wide Association Study, Gout, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Humans, Indians, North American, Male, Mexican Americans, Middle Aged, Neoplasm Proteins, Polymorphism, Genetic, Postmenopause, Sex Distribution, United States, Uric Acid}, issn = {1476-6256}, doi = {10.1093/aje/kws330}, author = {Zhang, Lili and Spencer, Kylee L and Voruganti, V Saroja and Jorgensen, Neal W and Fornage, Myriam and Best, Lyle G and Brown-Gentry, Kristin D and Cole, Shelley A and Crawford, Dana C and Deelman, Ewa and Franceschini, Nora and Gaffo, Angelo L and Glenn, Kimberly R and Heiss, Gerardo and Jenny, Nancy S and K{\"o}ttgen, Anna and Li, Qiong and Liu, Kiang and Matise, Tara C and North, Kari E and Umans, Jason G and Kao, W H Linda} } @article {6094, title = {Lack of associations of ten candidate coronary heart disease risk genetic variants and subclinical atherosclerosis in four US populations: the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) study.}, journal = {Atherosclerosis}, volume = {228}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Jun}, pages = {390-9}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: A number of genetic variants have been discovered by recent genome-wide association studies for their associations with clinical coronary heart disease (CHD). However, it is unclear whether these variants are also associated with the development of CHD as measured by subclinical atherosclerosis phenotypes, ankle brachial index (ABI), carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaque.

METHODS: Ten CHD risk single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in individuals of European American (EA), African American (AA), American Indian (AI), and Mexican American (MA) ancestry in the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) study. In each individual study, we performed linear or logistic regression to examine population-specific associations between SNPs and ABI, common and internal cIMT, and plaque. The results from individual studies were meta-analyzed using a fixed effect inverse variance weighted model.

RESULTS: None of the ten SNPs was significantly associated with ABI and common or internal cIMT, after Bonferroni correction. In the sample of 13,337 EA, 3809 AA, and 5353 AI individuals with carotid plaque measurement, the GCKR SNP rs780094 was significantly associated with the presence of plaque in AI only (OR~=~1.32, 95\% confidence interval: 1.17, 1.49, P~=~1.08~{\texttimes}~10(-5)), but not in the other populations (P~=~0.90 in EA and P~=~0.99 in AA). A 9p21 region SNP, rs1333049, was nominally associated with plaque in EA (OR~=~1.07, P~=~0.02) and in AI (OR~=~1.10, P~=~0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: We identified a significant association between rs780094 and plaque in AI populations, which needs to be replicated in future studies. There was little evidence that the index CHD risk variants identified through genome-wide association studies in EA influence the development of CHD through subclinical atherosclerosis as assessed by cIMT and ABI across ancestries.

}, keywords = {African Americans, Aged, Ankle Brachial Index, Asymptomatic Diseases, Carotid Artery Diseases, Carotid Intima-Media Thickness, Coronary Disease, European Continental Ancestry Group, Female, Gene Frequency, Genetic Association Studies, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Humans, Indians, North American, Linear Models, Logistic Models, Male, Mexican Americans, Middle Aged, Odds Ratio, Phenotype, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Predictive Value of Tests, Risk Assessment, Risk Factors, United States}, issn = {1879-1484}, doi = {10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2013.02.038}, author = {Zhang, Lili and B{\r u}zkov{\'a}, Petra and Wassel, Christina L and Roman, Mary J and North, Kari E and Crawford, Dana C and Boston, Jonathan and Brown-Gentry, Kristin D and Cole, Shelley A and Deelman, Ewa and Goodloe, Robert and Wilson, Sarah and Heiss, Gerardo and Jenny, Nancy S and Jorgensen, Neal W and Matise, Tara C and McClellan, Bob E and Nato, Alejandro Q and Ritchie, Marylyn D and Franceschini, Nora and Kao, W H Linda} } @article {6598, title = {Evidence of heterogeneity by race/ethnicity in genetic determinants of QT interval.}, journal = {Epidemiology}, volume = {25}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Nov}, pages = {790-8}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: QT interval (QT) prolongation is an established risk factor for ventricular tachyarrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. Previous genome-wide association studies in populations of the European descent have identified multiple genetic loci that influence QT, but few have examined these loci in ethnically diverse populations.

METHODS: Here, we examine the direction, magnitude, and precision of effect sizes for 21 previously reported SNPs from 12 QT loci, in populations of European (n = 16,398), African (n = 5,437), American Indian (n = 5,032), Hispanic (n = 1,143), and Asian (n = 932) descent as part of the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) study. Estimates obtained from linear regression models stratified by race/ethnicity were combined using inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was evaluated using Cochran{\textquoteright}s Q test.

RESULTS: Of 21 SNPs, 7 showed consistent direction of effect across all 5 populations, and an additional 9 had estimated effects that were consistent across 4 populations. Despite consistent direction of effect, 9 of 16 SNPs had evidence (P < 0.05) of heterogeneity by race/ethnicity. For these 9 SNPs, linkage disequilibrium plots often indicated substantial variation in linkage disequilibrium patterns among the various racial/ethnic groups, as well as possible allelic heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS: These results emphasize the importance of analyzing racial/ethnic groups separately in genetic studies. Furthermore, they underscore the possible utility of trans-ethnic studies to pinpoint underlying casual variants influencing heritable traits such as QT.

}, keywords = {Aged, Continental Population Groups, Electrocardiography, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Haplotypes, Humans, Long QT Syndrome, Male, Middle Aged, Phenotype, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, Quantitative Trait Loci, Quantitative Trait, Heritable, Risk Factors}, issn = {1531-5487}, doi = {10.1097/EDE.0000000000000168}, author = {Seyerle, Amanda A and Young, Alicia M and Jeff, Janina M and Melton, Phillip E and Jorgensen, Neal W and Lin, Yi and Carty, Cara L and Deelman, Ewa and Heckbert, Susan R and Hindorff, Lucia A and Jackson, Rebecca D and Martin, Lisa W and Okin, Peter M and Perez, Marco V and Psaty, Bruce M and Soliman, Elsayed Z and Whitsel, Eric A and North, Kari E and Laston, Sandra and Kooperberg, Charles and Avery, Christy L} } @article {6360, title = {Multiancestral analysis of inflammation-related genetic variants and C-reactive protein in the population architecture using genomics and epidemiology study.}, journal = {Circ Cardiovasc Genet}, volume = {7}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Apr}, pages = {178-88}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a biomarker of inflammation. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with CRP concentrations and inflammation-related traits such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity. We aimed to replicate previous CRP-SNP associations, assess whether these associations generalize to additional race/ethnicity groups, and evaluate inflammation-related SNPs for a potentially pleiotropic association with CRP.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We selected and analyzed 16 CRP-associated and 250 inflammation-related GWAS SNPs among 40 473 African American, American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, European American, and Hispanic participants from 7 studies collaborating in the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) study. Fixed-effect meta-analyses combined study-specific race/ethnicity-stratified linear regression estimates to evaluate the association between each SNP and high-sensitivity CRP. Overall, 18 SNPs in 8 loci were significantly associated with CRP (Bonferroni-corrected P<3.1{\texttimes}10(-3) for replication, P<2.0{\texttimes}10(-4) for pleiotropy): Seven of these were specific to European Americans, while 9 additionally generalized to African Americans (1), Hispanics (5), or both (3); 1 SNP was seen only in African Americans and Hispanics. Two SNPs in the CELSR2/PSRC1/SORT1 locus showed a potentially novel association with CRP: rs599839 (P=2.0{\texttimes}10(-6)) and rs646776 (P=3.1{\texttimes}10(-5)).

CONCLUSIONS: We replicated 16 SNP-CRP associations, 10 of which generalized to African Americans and/or Hispanics. We also identified potentially novel pleiotropic associations with CRP for two SNPs previously associated with coronary artery disease and/or low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. These findings demonstrate the benefit of evaluating genotype-phenotype associations in multiple race/ethnicity groups and looking for pleiotropic relationships among SNPs previously associated with related phenotypes.

}, keywords = {Adult, African Continental Ancestry Group, Aged, Asian Continental Ancestry Group, C-Reactive Protein, Female, Genetic Variation, Genome-Wide Association Study, Hispanic Americans, Humans, Indians, North American, Inflammation, Male, Middle Aged, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, United States, Young Adult}, issn = {1942-3268}, doi = {10.1161/CIRCGENETICS.113.000173}, author = {Kocarnik, Jonathan M and Pendergrass, Sarah A and Carty, Cara L and Pankow, James S and Schumacher, Fredrick R and Cheng, Iona and Durda, Peter and Ambite, Jose Luis and Deelman, Ewa and Cook, Nancy R and Liu, Simin and Wactawski-Wende, Jean and Hutter, Carolyn and Brown-Gentry, Kristin and Wilson, Sarah and Best, Lyle G and Pankratz, Nathan and Hong, Ching-Ping and Cole, Shelley A and Voruganti, V Saroja and B{\r u}zkov{\'a}, Petra and Jorgensen, Neal W and Jenny, Nancy S and Wilkens, Lynne R and Haiman, Christopher A and Kolonel, Laurence N and LaCroix, Andrea and North, Kari and Jackson, Rebecca and Le Marchand, Lo{\"\i}c and Hindorff, Lucia A and Crawford, Dana C and Gross, Myron and Peters, Ulrike} } @article {7678, title = {Association of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A and risk of incident atrial fibrillation: Findings from 3 cohorts.}, journal = {Am Heart J}, volume = {197}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 Mar}, pages = {62-69}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Multiple prospective studies have established an association between inflammation and higher risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), but the association between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A (Lp-PLA) mass and activity and incident AF has not been extensively evaluated.

METHODS: Using data from 10,794 Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) study participants aged 53-75 years, 5,181 Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) participants aged 65 to 100 years, and 5,425 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) participants aged 45-84 years, we investigated the association between baseline Lp-PLA levels and the risk of developing AF. Incident AF was identified in each cohort by follow-up visit electrocardiograms, hospital discharge coding of AF, or Medicare claims data.

RESULTS: Over a mean of 13.1, 11.5, and 10.0 years of follow-up, 1,439 (13\%), 2,084 (40\%), and 615 (11\%) incident AF events occurred in ARIC, CHS, and MESA, respectively. In adjusted analyses, each SD increment in Lp-PLA activity was associated with incident AF in both ARIC (hazard ratio [HR] 1.13, 95\% CI 1.06-1.20) and MESA (HR 1.24, 95\% CI 1.05-1.46). Each SD increment in Lp-PLA mass was also associated with incident AF in MESA (HR 1.25, 95\% CI 1.11-1.41). No significant associations were observed among CHS participants.

CONCLUSIONS: Although higher Lp-PLA mass and activity were associated with development of AF in ARIC and MESA, this relationship was not observed in CHS, a cohort of older individuals.

}, issn = {1097-6744}, doi = {10.1016/j.ahj.2017.11.010}, author = {Garg, Parveen K and Bartz, Traci M and Norby, Faye L and Jorgensen, Neal W and McClelland, Robyn L and Ballantyne, Christie M and Chen, Lin Y and Gottdiener, John S and Greenland, Philip and Hoogeveen, Ron and Jenny, Nancy S and Kizer, Jorge R and Rosenson, Robert S and Soliman, Elsayed Z and Cushman, Mary and Alonso, Alvaro and Heckbert, Susan R} }