A genome-wide association study of hand eczema identifies locus 20q13.33 and reveals genetic overlap with atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Twin studies revealed that genetic effects play a role in hand eczema (HE), but the responsible genetic factors are unknown. OBJECTIVES: To identify and characterise genetic loci associated with HE and to provide insight into the genetic overlap between HE and atopic dermatitis (AD). METHODS: We used questionnaire-derived and genotype data from the European population-based Lifelines cohort and biobank. We performed a discovery genome-wide association study (GWAS) of HE (2879 cases and 16 249 controls) and of AD (1706 cases and 17 190 controls). We replicated our findings in an independent Lifelines sample for HE (1188 cases and 6431 controls) and AD (757 cases and 6747 controls). We conducted several post-GWAS analyses and performed genetic correlation analyses between our HE results and independent AD data. RESULTS: The two-step GWAS of HE, regardless of adjusting for AD, identified one independent locus 20q13.33, likely driven by a number of causal single-nucleotide polymorphisms. For the AD GWAS, we replicated a known stop-gained rs61816761 at locus 1q21.3 (FLG, FLGAS1). We found a strong genetic correlation (p < 0.01) between HE and AD (rg = 0.65), regardless of adjusting for AD (rg = 0.63). CONCLUSIONS: Locus 20q13.33 is associated with HE, and there is a large genetic overlap between HE and AD.

Large-Scale Multi-Omics Studies Provide New Insights into Blood Pressure Regulation.

Recent genome-wide association studies uncovered part of blood pressure's heritability. However, there is still a vast gap between genetics and biology that needs to be bridged. Here, we followed up blood pressure genome-wide summary statistics of over 750,000 individuals, leveraging comprehensive epigenomic and transcriptomic data from blood with a follow-up in cardiovascular tissues to prioritise likely causal genes and underlying blood pressure mechanisms. We first prioritised genes based on coding consequences, multilayer molecular associations, blood pressure-associated expression levels, and coregulation evidence. Next, we followed up the prioritised genes in multilayer studies of genomics, epigenomics, and transcriptomics, functional enrichment, and their potential suitability as drug targets. Our analyses yielded 1880 likely causal genes for blood pressure, tens of which are targets of the available licensed drugs. We identified 34 novel genes for blood pressure, supported by more than one source of biological evidence. Twenty-eight (82%) of these new genes were successfully replicated by transcriptome-wide association analyses in a large independent cohort (n = ~220,000). We also found a substantial mediating role for epigenetic regulation of the prioritised genes. Our results provide new insights into genetic regulation of blood pressure in terms of likely causal genes and involved biological pathways offering opportunities for future translation into clinical practice.

Bivariate genome-wide association analyses of the broad depression phenotype combined with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia reveal eight novel genetic loci for depression.

Although a genetic basis of depression has been well established in twin studies, identification of genome-wide significant loci has been difficult. We hypothesized that bivariate analyses of findings from a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (meta-GWASs) of the broad depression phenotype with those from meta-GWASs of self-reported and recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder and schizophrenia would enhance statistical power to identify novel genetic loci for depression. LD score regression analyses were first used to estimate the genetic correlations of broad depression with self-reported MDD, recurrent MDD, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Then, we performed four bivariate GWAS analyses. The genetic correlations (rg ± SE) of broad depression with self-reported MDD, recurrent MDD, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia were 0.79 ± 0.07, 0.24 ± 0.08, 0.53 ± 0.09 and 0.57 ± 0.05, respectively. From a total of 20 independent genome-wide significant loci, 13 loci replicated of which 8 were novel for depression. These were MUC21 for the broad depression phenotype with self-reported MDD and ZNF804A, MIR3143, PSORS1C2, STK19, SPATA31D1, RTN1 and TCF4 for the broad depression phenotype with schizophrenia. Post-GWAS functional analyses of these loci revealed their potential biological involvement in psychiatric disorders. Our results emphasize the genetic similarities among different psychiatric disorders and indicate that cross-disorder analyses may be the best way forward to accelerate gene finding for depression, or psychiatric disorders in general.

Genome-Wide Association Scan of Serum Urea in European Populations Identifies Two Novel Loci.

BACKGROUND: Serum urea level is a heritable trait, commonly used as a diagnostic marker for kidney function. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in East-Asian populations identified a number of genetic loci related to serum urea, however there is a paucity of data for European populations. METHODS: We performed a two-stage meta-analysis of GWASs on serum urea in 13,312 participants, with independent replication in 7,379 participants of European ancestry. RESULTS: We identified 6 genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in or near 6 loci, of which 2 were novel (POU2AF1 and ADAMTS9-AS2). Replication of East-Asian and Scottish data provided evidence for an additional 8 loci. SNPs tag regions previously associated with anthropometric traits, serum magnesium, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, as well as expression quantitative trait loci for genes preferentially expressed in kidney and gastro-intestinal tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide insights into the genetic underpinnings of urea metabolism, with potential relevance to kidney function.

Pathway-Based Mendelian Randomization for Pre-Infection IL-6 Levels Highlights Its Role in Coronavirus Disease.

OBJECTIVES: Interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels at hospital admission have been suggested for disease prognosis, and IL-6 antagonists have been suggested for the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19. However, less is known about the relationship between pre-COVID-19 IL-6 levels and the risk of severe COVID-19. To fill in this gap, here we extensively investigated the association of genetically instrumented IL-6 pathway components with the risk of severe COVID-19. METHODS: We used a two-sample Mendelian randomization study design and retrieved genetic instruments for blood biomarkers of IL-6 activation, including IL-6, soluble IL-6 receptor, IL-6 signal transducer, and CRP, from respective large available GWASs. To establish associations of these instruments with COVID-19 outcomes, we used data from the Host Genetics Initiative and GenOMICC studies. RESULTS: Our analyses revealed inverse associations of genetically instrumented levels of IL-6 and its soluble receptor with the risk of developing severe disease (OR = 0.60 and 0.94, respectively). They also demonstrated a positive association of severe disease with the soluble signal transducer level (OR = 1.13). Only IL-6 associations with severe COVID-19 outcomes reached the significance threshold corrected for multiple testing (p < 0.003; with COVID-19 hospitalization and critical illness). CONCLUSIONS: These potential causal relationships for pre-COVID-19 IL-6 levels with the risk of developing severe symptoms provide opportunities for further evaluation of these factors as prognostic/preventive markers of severe COVID-19. Further studies will need to clarify whether the higher risk for a severe disease course with lower baseline IL-6 levels may also extend to other infectious diseases.

Prioritization of Kidney Cell Types Highlights Myofibroblast Cells in Regulating Human Blood Pressure.

Introduction: Blood pressure (BP) is a highly heritable trait with over 2000 underlying genomic loci identified to date. Although the kidney plays a key role, little is known about specific cell types involved in the genetic regulation of BP. Methods: Here, we applied stratified linkage disequilibrium score (LDSC) regression to connect BP genome-wide association studies (GWAS) results to specific cell types of the mature human kidney. We used the largest single-stage BP genome-wide analysis to date, including up to 1,028,980 adults of European ancestry, and single-cell transcriptomic data from 14 mature human kidneys, with mean age of 41 years. Results: Our analyses prioritized myofibroblasts and endothelial cells, among the total of 33 annotated cell type, as specifically involved in BP regulation (P < 0.05/33, i.e., 0.001515). Enrichment of heritability for systolic BP (SBP) was observed in myofibroblast cells in mature human kidney cortex, and enrichment of heritability for diastolic BP (DBP) was observed in descending vasa recta and peritubular capillary endothelial cells as well as stromal myofibroblast cells. The new finding of myofibroblast, the significant cell type for both BP traits, was consistent in 8 replication efforts using 7 sets of independent data, including in human fetal kidney, in East-Asian (EAS) ancestry, using mouse single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data, and when using another prioritization method. Conclusion: Our findings provide a solid basis for follow-up studies to further identify genes and mechanisms in myofibroblast cells that underlie the regulation of BP.

Transcriptomics- and Genomics-Guided Drug Repurposing for the Treatment of Vesicular Hand Eczema.

Vesicular hand eczema (VHE), a clinical subtype of hand eczema (HE), showed limited responsiveness to alitretinoin, the only approved systemic treatment for severe chronic HE. This emphasizes the need for alternative treatment approaches. Therefore, our study aimed to identify drug repurposing opportunities for VHE using transcriptomics and genomics data. We constructed a gene network by combining 52 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from a VHE transcriptomics study with 3 quantitative trait locus (QTL) genes associated with HE. Through network analysis, clustering, and functional enrichment analyses, we investigated the underlying biological mechanisms of this network. Next, we leveraged drug-gene interactions and retrieved pharmaco-transcriptomics data from the DrugBank database to identify drug repurposing opportunities for (V)HE. We developed a drug ranking system, primarily based on efficacy, safety, and practical and pricing factors, to select the most promising drug repurposing candidates. Our results revealed that the (V)HE network comprised 78 genes that yielded several biological pathways underlying the disease. The drug-gene interaction search together with pharmaco-transcriptomics lookups revealed 123 unique drug repurposing opportunities. Based on our drug ranking system, our study identified the most promising drug repurposing opportunities (e.g., vitamin D analogues, retinoids, and immunomodulating drugs) that might be effective in treating (V)HE.

A genome-wide association meta-analysis implicates Hedgehog and Notch signaling in Dupuytren's disease.

Dupuytren's disease (DD) is a highly heritable fibrotic disorder of the hand with incompletely understood etiology. A number of genetic loci, including Wnt signaling members, have been previously identified. Our overall aim was to identify novel genetic loci, to prioritize genes within the loci for functional studies, and to assess genetic correlation with associated disorders. We performed a meta-analysis of six DD genome-wide association studies from three European countries and extensive bioinformatic follow-up analyses. Leveraging 11,320 cases and 47,023 controls, we identified 85 genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms in 56 loci, of which 11 were novel, explaining 13.3-38.1% of disease variance. Gene prioritization implicated the Hedgehog and Notch signaling pathways. We also identified a significant genetic correlation with frozen shoulder. The pathways identified highlight the potential for new therapeutic targets and provide a basis for additional mechanistic studies for a common disorder that can severely impact hand function.

A genome-wide association study of 24-hour urinary excretion of endocrine disrupting chemicals.

Ubiquitous exposure to environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) instigates a major public health problem, but much remains unknown on the inter-individual differences in metabolism and excretion of EDCs. To examine this we performed a two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) for 24-hour urinary excretions of four parabens, two bisphenols, and nine phthalate metabolites. Results showed five genome-wide significant (p-value < 5x10-8) and replicated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) representing four independent signals that associated with mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP). Three of the four signals were located on chromosome 10 in a locus harboring the cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes CYP2C9, CYP2C58P, and CYP2C19 (rs117529685, pMECPP = 5.38x10-25; rs117033379, pMECPP = 1.96x10-19; rs4918798, pMECPP = 4.01x10-71; rs7895726, pMEHHP = 1.37x10-15, r2 with rs4918798 = 0.93). The other signal was on chromosome 6 close to the solute carrier (SLC) genes SLC17A1, SLC17A3, SLC17A4, and SCGN (rs1359232, pMECPP = 7.6x10-16). These four SNPs explained a substantial part (8.3 % - 9.2 %) of the variance in MECPP in the replication cohort. Bioinformatics analyses supported a likely causal role of CYP2C9 and SLC17A1 in metabolism and excretion of MECPP and MEHHP. Our results provide biological insights into mechanisms of phthalate metabolism and excretion with a likely causal role for CYP2C9 and SLC17A1.

Genome-wide analysis in over 1 million individuals of European ancestry yields improved polygenic risk scores for blood pressure traits.

Hypertension affects more than one billion people worldwide. Here we identify 113 novel loci, reporting a total of 2,103 independent genetic signals (P < 5 × 10-8) from the largest single-stage blood pressure (BP) genome-wide association study to date (n = 1,028,980 European individuals). These associations explain more than 60% of single nucleotide polymorphism-based BP heritability. Comparing top versus bottom deciles of polygenic risk scores (PRSs) reveals clinically meaningful differences in BP (16.9 mmHg systolic BP, 95% CI, 15.5-18.2 mmHg, P = 2.22 × 10-126) and more than a sevenfold higher odds of hypertension risk (odds ratio, 7.33; 95% CI, 5.54-9.70; P = 4.13 × 10-44) in an independent dataset. Adding PRS into hypertension-prediction models increased the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) from 0.791 (95% CI, 0.781-0.801) to 0.826 (95% CI, 0.817-0.836, ∆AUROC, 0.035, P = 1.98 × 10-34). We compare the 2,103 loci results in non-European ancestries and show significant PRS associations in a large African-American sample. Secondary analyses implicate 500 genes previously unreported for BP. Our study highlights the role of increasingly large genomic studies for precision health research.

Genome-wide analysis identifies genetic effects on reproductive success and ongoing natural selection at the FADS locus.

Identifying genetic determinants of reproductive success may highlight mechanisms underlying fertility and identify alleles under present-day selection. Using data in 785,604 individuals of European ancestry, we identified 43 genomic loci associated with either number of children ever born (NEB) or childlessness. These loci span diverse aspects of reproductive biology, including puberty timing, age at first birth, sex hormone regulation, endometriosis and age at menopause. Missense variants in ARHGAP27 were associated with higher NEB but shorter reproductive lifespan, suggesting a trade-off at this locus between reproductive ageing and intensity. Other genes implicated by coding variants include PIK3IP1, ZFP82 and LRP4, and our results suggest a new role for the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) in reproductive biology. As NEB is one component of evolutionary fitness, our identified associations indicate loci under present-day natural selection. Integration with data from historical selection scans highlighted an allele in the FADS1/2 gene locus that has been under selection for thousands of years and remains so today. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that a broad range of biological mechanisms contribute to reproductive success.

Bioinformatic Prioritization and Functional Annotation of GWAS-Based Candidate Genes for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.

Background: Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the most prevalent glaucoma subtype, but its exact etiology is still unknown. In this study, we aimed to prioritize the most likely 'causal' genes and identify functional characteristics and underlying biological pathways of POAG candidate genes. Methods: We used the results of a large POAG genome-wide association analysis study from GERA and UK Biobank cohorts. First, we performed systematic gene-prioritization analyses based on: (i) nearest genes; (ii) nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms; (iii) co-regulation analysis; (iv) transcriptome-wide association studies; and (v) epigenomic data. Next, we performed functional enrichment analyses to find overrepresented functional pathways and tissues. Results: We identified 142 prioritized genes, of which 64 were novel for POAG. BICC1, AFAP1, and ABCA1 were the most highly prioritized genes based on four or more lines of evidence. The most significant pathways were related to extracellular matrix turnover, transforming growth factor-ß, blood vessel development, and retinoic acid receptor signaling. Ocular tissues such as sclera and trabecular meshwork showed enrichment in prioritized gene expression (>1.5 fold). We found pleiotropy of POAG with intraocular pressure and optic-disc parameters, as well as genetic correlation with hypertension and diabetes-related eye disease. Conclusions: Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying glaucoma pathogenesis and have prioritized many novel candidate genes for functional follow-up studies.

DNA methylation: a potential mediator between air pollution and metabolic syndrome.

Given the global increase in air pollution and its crucial role in human health, as well as the steep rise in prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which environmental pollution may influence MetS is imperative. Exposure to air pollution is known to impact DNA methylation, which in turn may affect human health. This paper comprehensively reviews the evidence for the hypothesis that the effect of air pollution on the MetS is mediated by DNA methylation in blood. First, we present a summary of the impact of air pollution on metabolic dysregulation, including the components of MetS, i.e., disorders in blood glucose, lipid profile, blood pressure, and obesity. Then, we provide evidence on the relation between air pollution and endothelial dysfunction as one possible mechanism underlying the relation between air pollution and MetS. Subsequently, we review the evidence that air pollution (PM, ozone, NO2 and PAHs) influences DNA methylation. Finally, we summarize association studies between DNA methylation and MetS. Integration of current evidence supports our hypothesis that methylation may partly mediate the effect of air pollution on MetS.

Genetic Determinants of Serum Calcification Propensity and Cardiovascular Outcomes in the General Population.

BACKGROUND: Serum calciprotein particle maturation time (T50), a measure of vascular calcification propensity, is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We aimed to identify genetic loci associated with serum T50 and study their association with cardiovascular disease and mortality. METHODS: We performed a genome-wide association study of serum T50 in 2,739 individuals of European descent participating in the Prevention of REnal and Vascular ENd-stage Disease (PREVEND) study, followed by a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to examine causal effects of T50 on cardiovascular outcomes. Finally, we examined associations between T50 loci and cardiovascular outcomes in 8,566 community-dwelling participants in the Rotterdam study. RESULTS: We identified three independent genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) in the AHSG gene encoding fetuin-A: rs4917 (p = 1.72 × 10-101), rs2077119 (p = 3.34 × 10-18), and rs9870756 (p = 3.10 × 10-8), together explaining 18.3% of variation in serum T50. MR did not demonstrate a causal effect of T50 on cardiovascular outcomes in the general population. Patient-level analyses revealed that the minor allele of rs9870756, which explained 9.1% of variation in T50, was associated with a primary composite endpoint of all-cause mortality or cardiovascular disease [odds ratio (95% CI) 1.14 (1.01-1.28)] and all-cause mortality alone [1.14 (1.00-1.31)]. The other variants were not associated with clinical outcomes. In patients with type 2 diabetes or chronic kidney disease, the association between rs9870756 and the primary composite endpoint was stronger [OR 1.40 (1.06-1.84), relative excess risk due to interaction 0.54 (0.01-1.08)]. CONCLUSIONS: We identified three SNPs in the AHSG gene that explained 18.3% of variability in serum T50 levels. Only one SNP was associated with cardiovascular outcomes, particularly in individuals with type 2 diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

Genetic and environmental influences on stability and change in baseline levels of C-reactive protein: A longitudinal twin study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cross-sectional twin and family studies report a moderate heritability of baseline levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), ranging from 0.10 to 0.65 for different age ranges. Here, we investigated the stability and relative impact of genetic and environmental factors underlying serum levels of CRP, using a longitudinal classical twin design. METHODS: A maximum of 6201 female twins from the TwinsUK registry with up to three CRP measurements (i.e. visit 1 [V1], visit 2 [V2] and visit 3 [V3]) over a 10-year follow-up period were included in this study. Structural equation modeling was applied to dissect the observed phenotypic variance into its genetic and environmental components. To estimate the heritability of CRP as well as its genetic and environmental correlations across different time points, a trivariate model was used. RESULTS: Natural log (ln) CRP levels significantly increased from V1 to V2 (p=4.4 × 10-25) and between V1 and V3 (p=1.2 × 10-15), but not between V2 and V3. The median (IQR) follow-up time between V1 and V3 was 9.58 (8.00-10.46) years. Heritability estimates for CRP were around 50% and constant over time (0.46-0.52). Additionally, adjustment for BMI did not meaningfully change the heritability estimates (0.49-0.51). The genetic correlations between visits were significantly smaller than one, ranging from 0.66 to 0.85. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides evidence for stable heritability estimates of CRP of around 50% with advancing age. However, between-visit genetic correlations are significantly lower than 1, indicating emergence of new genetic effects on CRP levels with age.