Seven-plus hours of daily sedentary time and the subsequent risk of breast cancer: Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study.

This study aimed to investigate the association between daily sedentary time and the risk of breast cancer (BC) in a large Japanese population. The participants were 36,023 women aged 35-69 years from the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for BC incidence in relation to time spent sedentarily (categorical variables: <7 and ≥7 hours/day [h/d]). Additionally, the associations of BC incidence to the joint effect of sedentary time with each component of physical activity, such as leisure-time metabolic equivalents (METs), frequency of leisure-time physical activity, and daily walking time, were examined. During 315,189 person-years of follow-up, 554 incident cases of BC were identified. When compared to participants who spent <7 h/d sedentary, those who spent ≥7 h/d sedentary have a significantly higher risk of BC (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.07-1.71). The corresponding HRs among participants who spent ≥7 h/d sedentary with more physical activity, such as ≥1 h/d for leisure-time METs, ≥3 days/week of leisure-time physical activity, and ≥1 h/d of daily walking were 1.58 (95% CI, 1.11-2.25), 1.77 (95% CI, 1.20-2.61), and 1.42 (95% CI, 1.10-1.83), respectively, compared with those who spent <7 h/d sedentary. This study found that spending ≥7 h/d of sedentary time is associated with the risk of BC. Neither leisure-time physical activity nor walking had a BC-preventive effect in those with ≥7 h/d of sedentary time.

BMI and Cardiometabolic Traits in Japanese: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

BACKGROUND: Although many observational studies have demonstrated significant relationships between obesity and cardiometabolic traits, the causality of these relationships in East Asians remains to be elucidated. METHODS: We conducted individual-level Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses targeting 14,083 participants in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study and two-sample MR analyses using summary statistics based on genome-wide association study data from 173,430 Japanese. Using 83 body mass index (BMI)-related loci, genetic risk scores (GRS) for BMI were calculated, and the effects of BMI on cardiometabolic traits were examined for individual-level MR analyses using the two-stage least squares estimator method. The ß-coefficients and standard errors for the per-allele association of each single-nucleotide polymorphism as well as all outcomes, or odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated in the two-sample MR analyses. RESULTS: In individual-level MR analyses, the GRS of BMI was not significantly associated with any cardiometabolic traits. In two-sample MR analyses, higher BMI was associated with increased risks of higher blood pressure, triglycerides, and uric acid, as well as lower high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and eGFR. The associations of BMI with type 2 diabetes in two-sample MR analyses were inconsistent using different methods, including the directions. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that, even among the Japanese, an East Asian population with low levels of obesity, higher BMI could be causally associated with the development of a variety of cardiometabolic traits. Causality in those associations should be clarified in future studies with larger populations, especially those of BMI with type 2 diabetes.

Association between oxidative balance score and inflammatory markers in middle-aged and older Japanese people.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the association between oxidative balance score (OBS), wherein higher OBSs indicate lower oxidative stress, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), as well as inflammatory scores, in a large cohort of Japanese adults. METHODS: In total, 9703 individuals aged 40-69 years participated in a baseline survey of a population-based cohort study in Saga, Japan (2005-2007). OBSs were calculated from 11 prooxidant and antioxidant lifestyle factors, including dietary intake, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking status. Lifestyle data, including dietary intake, were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. Adjusted geometric means of serum hs-CRP levels were calculated based on OBS quartiles, and linear trend tests were performed, with adjustments for potential confounders. In addition, an inflammatory cytokine z-score was constructed and assessed alongside individual markers. RESULTS: After adjusting for multiple confounders in both sexes, the results showed a significant inverse association between OBS and serum hs-CRP levels in both men and women. These results remained unaltered when the OBS evaluation excluded powerful prooxidants, serum ferritin, or smoking. There was also an association between OBS and lower inflammatory z-score, indicating reduced overall systemic inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a higher OBS, indicating a greater predominance of antioxidants over prooxidant exposure, is associated with lower hs-CRP levels and reduced systemic inflammation, regardless of sex.

Association between consumption of small fish and all-cause mortality among Japanese: the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Although small fish are an important source of micronutrients, the relationship between their intake and mortality remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the association between intake of small fish and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. DESIGN: We used the data from a cohort study in Japan. The frequency of the intake of small fish was assessed using a validated FFQ. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality according to the frequency of the intake of small fish by sex were estimated using a Cox proportional hazard model with adjustments for covariates. SETTING: The Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 80 802 participants (34 555 males and 46 247 females), aged 35-69 years. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 9·0 years, we identified 2482 deaths including 1495 cancer-related deaths. The intake of small fish was statistically significantly and inversely associated with the risk of all-cause and cancer mortality in females. The multivariable-adjusted HR (95 % CI) in females for all-cause mortality according to the intake were 0·68 (0·55, 0·85) for intakes 1-3 times/month, 0·72 (0·57, 0·90) for 1-2 times/week and 0·69 (0·54, 0·88) for ≥ 3 times/week, compared with the rare intake. The corresponding HR (95 % CI) in females for cancer mortality were 0·72 (0·54, 0·96), 0·71 (0·53, 0·96) and 0·64 (0·46, 0·89), respectively. No statistically significant association was observed in males. CONCLUSIONS: Intake of small fish may reduce the risk of all-cause and cancer mortality in Japanese females.

Moderate-to-vigorous Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Are Independently Associated With Renal Function: A Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about whether insufficient moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and longer sedentary behavior (SB) are independently associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), whether they interact with known risk factors for CKD, and the effect of replacing sedentary time with an equivalent duration of physical activity on kidney function. METHODS: We examined the cross-sectional association of MVPA and SB with eGFR and CKD in 66,603 Japanese cohort study in 14 areas from 2004 to 2013. MVPA and SB were estimated using a self-reported questionnaire, and CKD was defined as eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Multiple linear regression analyses, logistic regression analyses, and an isotemporal substitution model were applied. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, higher MVPA and longer SB were independently associated with higher eGFR (P for trend MVPA <0.0001) and lower eGFR (P for trend SB <0.0001), and a lower odds ratio (OR) of CKD (adjusted OR of MVPA ≥20 MET·h/day, 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68-0.85 compared to MVPA <5 MET·h/day) and a higher OR of CKD (adjusted OR of SB ≥16 h/day, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.52-2.15 compared to SB <7 h/day), respectively. The negative association between MVPA and CKD was stronger in men, and significant interactions between sex and MVPA were detected. Replacing 1 hour of SB with 1 hour of physical activity was associated with about 3 to 4% lower OR of CKD. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that replacing SB with physical activity may benefit kidney function, especially in men, adding to the possible evidence on CKD prevention.

Population-Based Impact of Smoking, Drinking, and Genetic Factors on HDL-cholesterol Levels in J-MICC Study Participants.

BACKGROUND: Environmental and genetic factors are suggested to exhibit factor-based association with HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. However, the population-based effects of environmental and genetic factors have not been compared clearly. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study to evaluate the population-based impact of smoking, drinking, and genetic factors on low HDL-C. METHODS: Data from 11,498 men and women aged 35-69 years were collected for a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Sixty-five HDL-C-related SNPs with genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8) were selected from the GWAS catalog, of which seven representative SNPs were defined, and the population-based impact was estimated using population attributable fraction (PAF). RESULTS: We found that smoking, drinking, daily activity, habitual exercise, egg intake, BMI, age, sex, and the SNPs CETP rs3764261, APOA5 rs662799, LIPC rs1800588, LPL rs328, ABCA1 rs2575876, LIPG rs3786247, and APOE rs429358 were associated with HDL-C levels. The gene-environmental interactions on smoking and drinking were not statistically significant. The PAF for low HDL-C was the highest in men (63.2%) and in rs3764261 (31.5%) of the genetic factors, and the PAFs of smoking and drinking were 23.1% and 41.8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that the population-based impact of genomic factor CETP rs3764261 for low HDL-C was higher than that of smoking and lower than that of drinking.

Sex-specific Relationship Between Stress Coping Strategies and All-cause Mortality: Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Stress coping strategies are related to health outcomes. However, there is no clear evidence for sex differences between stress-coping strategies and mortality. We investigated the relationship between all-cause mortality and stress-coping strategies, focusing on sex differences among Japanese adults. METHODS: A total of 79,580 individuals aged 35-69 years participated in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study between 2004 and 2014 and were followed up for mortality. The frequency of use of the five coping strategies was assessed using a questionnaire. Sex-specific, multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for using each coping strategy ("sometimes," and "often/very often" use versus "very few" use) were computed for all-cause mortality. Furthermore, relationships were analyzed in specific follow-up periods when the proportion assumption was violated. RESULTS: During the follow-up (median: 8.5 years), 1,861 mortalities were recorded. In women, three coping strategies were related to lower total mortality. The HRs for "sometimes" were 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-0.97) for emotional expression, 0.79 (95% CI, 0.66-0.95) for emotional support-seeking, and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.66-0.98) for disengagement. Men who "sometimes" used emotional expression and sometimes or often used problem-solving and positive reappraisal had a 15-41% lower HRs for all-cause mortality. However, those relationships were dependent on the follow-up period. There was evidence that sex modified the relationships between emotional support-seeking and all-cause mortality (P for interaction = 0.03). CONCLUSION: In a large Japanese sample, selected coping strategies were associated with all-cause mortality. The relationship of emotional support-seeking was different between men and women.

GWAS of folate metabolism with gene-environment interaction analysis revealed the possible role of lifestyles in the control of blood folate metabolites in Japanese - the J-MICC Study.

BACKGROUND: The present genome-wide association study (GWAS) aimed to reveal the genetic loci associated with folate metabolites as well as to detect related gene-environment interactions in Japanese. METHODS: We conducted the GWAS of plasma homocysteine (Hcy), folic acid (FA), and vitamin B12 (VB12) levels in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study participants who joined from 2005 to 2012, and also estimated gene-environment interactions. In the replication phase, we used data from the Yakumo Study conducted in 2009. In the discovery phase, data of 2,263 participants from four independent study sites of the J-MICC Study were analyzed. In the replication phase, data of 573 participants from the Yakumo Study were analyzed. RESULTS: For Hcy, MTHFR locus on chr 1, NOX4 on chr 11, CHMP1A on chr 16, and DPEP1 on chr 16 reached genome-wide significance (P < 5×10-8). MTHFR also associated with FA, and FUT2 on chr 19 associated with VB12. We investigated gene-environment interactions in both studies and found significant interactions between MTHFR C677T and ever drinking, current drinking, and physical activity > 33% on Hcy (ß = 0.039, 0.038 and -0.054, P = 0.018, 0.021 and < 0.001, respectively) and the interaction of MTHFR C677T with ever drinking on FA (ß = 0.033, P = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: The present GWAS revealed the folate metabolism-associated genetic loci and gene-environment interactions with drinking and physical activity in Japanese, suggesting the possibility of future personalized CVD prevention.

Association between awareness of limiting food intake and all-cause mortality: A cohort study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Improving diets requires an awareness of the need to limit foods for which excessive consumption is a health problem. Since there are limited reports on the link between this awareness and mortality risk, we examined the association between awareness of limiting food intake (energy, fat, and sweets) and all-cause mortality in a Japanese cohort study. METHODS: Participants comprised 58,772 residents (27,294 men; 31,478 women) aged 35-69 years who completed baseline surveys of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study from 2004 to 2014. Hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by sex using a Cox proportional hazard model, with adjustment for related factors. Mediation analysis with fat intake as a mediator was also conducted. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 11 years and 2,516 people died. Estimated energy and fat intakes according to the Food Frequency Questionnaire were lower in those with awareness of limiting food intake than in those without this awareness. Women with awareness of limiting fat intake showed a significant decrease in mortality risk (HR=0.73; 95% CI, 0.55 to 0.94). Mediation analysis revealed that this association was due to the direct effect of the awareness of limiting fat intake and that the total effect was not mediated by actual fat intake. Awareness of limiting energy or sweets intake was not related to mortality risk reduction. CONCLUSION: Awareness of limiting food intake had a limited effect on reducing all-cause mortality risk.

ALDH2 rs671 variant allele is associated with higher energy intake in middle-aged and elderly Japanese who routinely consume alcohol.

BACKGROUND: According to recent reports, individuals with reduced aldehyde dehydrogenase activity may require more energy for the detoxification of aldehydes. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), an ALDH isozyme, is responsible for detoxifying acetaldehyde, an intermediate metabolite of ethanol. Because the variant allele of the rs671 polymorphism of ALDH2 results in a substantial reduction in enzymatic activity, carriers of this variant allele may have a higher energy demand when consuming alcohol than non-carriers. However, no studies have evaluated this phenomenon to date. METHOD: To test the hypothesis, we statistically examined the interactive effects between the rs671 and ethanol consumption on energy intake using cross-sectional data from a population-based cohort study, the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study, which was conducted in Saga city between 2005-2007 (N = 12,068). RESULTS: General linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, ethanol consumption, current smoking status, years of education, dietary restriction, medical history, and physical activity level revealed that energy intake was higher in variant allele carriers than in non-carriers among individuals with alcohol drinking habits, whereas no such correlation was observed among those without drinking habits (≤2 g ethanol/day) (p = 0.03 for interaction between rs671 and ethanol consumption). Energy intake excluding energy from alcoholic beverages, carbohydrate intake, protein intake, and fat intake, showed similar tendencies (p for interaction = 0.01, 0.01, 0.04, and 0.07, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the hypothesis that increased energy intake is required for the detoxification of aldehydes in individuals with low ALDH activity. This epidemiological evidence provides a possible scientific basis for understanding aldehyde detoxification mechanisms and suggests a novel phenotype of the ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism.

Assessing the Relationship Between High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein and Kidney Function Employing Mendelian Randomization in the Japanese Community-based J-MICC Study.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is thought to be a risk factor for kidney disease. However, whether inflammatory status is either a cause or an outcome of chronic kidney disease remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the causal relationship between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using Mendelian randomization (MR) approaches. METHODS: A total of 10,521 participants of the Japan Multi-institutional Collaborative Cohort Study was analyzed in this study. We used two-sample MR approaches (the inverse-variance weighted (IVW), the weighted median (WM), and the MR-Egger method) to estimate the effect of genetically determined hs-CRP on kidney function. We selected four and three hs-CRP associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as two instrumental variables (IV): IVCRP and IVAsian, based on SNPs previously identified in European and Asian populations. IVCRP and IVAsian explained 3.4% and 3.9% of the variation in hs-CRP, respectively. RESULTS: Using the IVCRP, genetically determined hs-CRP was not significantly associated with eGFR in the IVW and the WM methods (estimate per 1 unit increase in ln(hs-CRP), 0.000; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.019 to 0.020 and -0.003; 95% CI, -0.019 to 0.014, respectively). For IVAsian, we found similar results using the IVW and the WM methods (estimate, 0.005; 95% CI, -0.020 to 0.010 and -0.004; 95% CI, -0.020 to 0.012, respectively). The MR-Egger method also showed no causal relationships between hs-CRP and eGFR (IVCRP: -0.008; 95% CI, -0.058 to 0.042; IVAsian: 0.001; 95% CI, -0.036 to 0.036). CONCLUSION: Our two-sample MR analyses with different IVs did not support a causal effect of hs-CRP on eGFR.

Body mass index and colorectal cancer risk: A Mendelian randomization study.

Traditional observational studies have reported a positive association between higher body mass index (BMI) and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, evidence from other approaches to pursue the causal relationship between BMI and CRC is sparse. A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was undertaken using 68 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the Japanese genome-wide association study (GWAS) and 654 SNPs from the GWAS catalogue for BMI as sets of instrumental variables. For the analysis of SNP-BMI associations, we undertook a meta-analysis with 36 303 participants in the Japanese Consortium of Genetic Epidemiology studies (J-CGE), comprising normal populations. For the analysis of SNP-CRC associations, we utilized 7636 CRC cases and 37 141 controls from five studies in Japan, and undertook a meta-analysis. Mendelian randomization analysis of inverse-variance weighted method indicated that a one-unit (kg/m2 ) increase in genetically predicted BMI was associated with an odds ratio of 1.13 (95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.20; P value <.001) for CRC using the set of 68 SNPs, and an odds ratio of 1.07 (1.03-1.11, 0.001) for CRC using the set of 654 SNPs. Sensitivity analyses robustly showed increased odds ratios for CRC for every one-unit increase in genetically predicted BMI. Our MR analyses strongly support the evidence that higher BMI influences the risk of CRC. Although Asians are generally leaner than Europeans and North Americans, avoiding higher BMI seems to be important for the prevention of CRC in Asian populations.

Whole-body insulin resistance and energy expenditure indices, serum lipids, and skeletal muscle metabolome in a state of lipoprotein lipase overexpression.

INTRODUCTION: Overexpression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) protects against high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity and insulin resistance in transgenic rabbits; however, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Skeletal muscle is a major organ responsible for insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and energy expenditure. OBJECTIVES: The main purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of the overexpression of LPL on the skeletal muscle metabolomic profiles to test our hypothesis that the mitochondrial oxidative metabolism would be activated in the skeletal muscle of LPL transgenic rabbits and that the higher mitochondrial oxidative metabolism activity would confer better phenotypic metabolic outcomes. METHODS: Under a HFD, insulin resistance index was measured using the intravenous glucose tolerance test, and total energy expenditure (TEE) was measured by doubly-labeled water in control and LPL transgenic rabbits (n = 12, each group). Serum lipids, such as triglycerides and free fatty acid, were also measured. The skeletal muscle metabolite profile was analyzed using capillary electrophoresis time-of flight mass spectrometry in the two groups (n = 9, each group). A metabolite set enrichment analysis (MSEA) with muscle metabolites and a false discovery rate q < 0.2 was performed to identify significantly different metabolic pathways between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The triglycerides and free fatty acid levels and insulin resistance index were lower, whereas the TEE was higher in the LPL transgenic rabbits than in the control rabbits. Among 165 metabolites detected, the levels of 37 muscle metabolites were significantly different between the 2 groups after false discovery rate correction (q < 0.2). The MSEA revealed that the TCA cycle and proteinogenic amino acid metabolism pathways were significantly different between the 2 groups (P < 0.05). In the MSEA, all four selected metabolites for the TCA cycle (2-oxoglutaric acid, citric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid), as well as eight selected metabolites for proteinogenic amino acid metabolism (asparagine, proline, methionine, phenylalanine, histidine, arginine, leucine, isoleucine) were consistently increased in the transgenic rabbits compared with control rabbits, suggesting that these two metabolic pathways were activated in the transgenic rabbits. Some of the selected metabolites, such as citric acid and methionine, were significantly associated with serum lipids and insulin resistance (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The current results suggest that the overexpression of LPL may lead to increased activities of TCA cycle and proteinogenic amino acid metabolism pathways in the skeletal muscle, and these enhancements may play an important role in the biological mechanisms underlying the anti-obesity/anti-diabetes features of LPL overexpression.

Impact of PSCA Polymorphisms on the Risk of Duodenal Ulcer.

BACKGROUND: While duodenal ulcer (DU) and gastric cancer (GC) are both H. pylori infection-related diseases, individuals with DU are known to have lower risk for GC. Many epidemiological studies have identified the PSCA rs2294008 T-allele as a risk factor of GC, while others have found an association between the rs2294008 C-allele and risk of DU and gastric ulcer (GU). Following these initial reports, however, few studies have since validated these associations. Here, we aimed to validate the association between variations in PSCA and the risk of DU/GU and evaluate its interaction with environmental factors in a Japanese population. METHODS: Six PSCA SNPs were genotyped in 584 DU cases, 925 GU cases, and 8,105 controls from the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC). Unconditional logistic regression models were applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between the SNPs and risk of DU/GU. RESULTS: PSCA rs2294008 C-allele was associated with per allele OR of 1.34 (95% CI, 1.18-1.51; P = 2.28 × 10-6) for the risk of DU. This association was independent of age, sex, study site, smoking habit, drinking habit, and H. pylori status. On the other hand, we did not observe an association between the risk of GU and PSCA SNPs. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms an association between the PSCA rs2294008 C-allele and the risk of DU in a Japanese population.

Study Profile of the Japan Multi-institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study.

BACKGROUND: The Japan Multi-institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) study was launched in 2005 to examine gene-environment interactions in lifestyle-related diseases, including cancers, among the Japanese. This report describes the study design and baseline profile of the study participants. METHODS: The participants of the J-MICC Study were individuals aged 35 to 69 years enrolled from respondents to study announcements in specified regions, inhabitants attending health checkup examinations provided by local governments, visitors at health checkup centers, and first-visit patients at a cancer hospital in Japan. At the time of the baseline survey, from 2005 to 2014, we obtained comprehensive information regarding demographics, education, alcohol consumption, smoking, sleeping, exercise, food intake frequency, medication and supplement use, personal and family disease history, psychological stress, and female reproductive history and collected peripheral blood samples. RESULTS: The baseline survey included 92,610 adults (mean age: 55.2 [standard deviation, 9.4] years, 44.1% men) from 14 study regions in 12 prefectures. The participation rate was 33.5%, with participation ranging from 19.7% to 69.8% in different study regions. The largest number of participants was in the age groups of 65-69 years for men and 60-64 years for women. There were differences in body mass index, educational attainment, alcohol consumption, smoking, and sleep duration between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: The J-MICC Study collected lifestyle and clinical data and biospecimens from over 90,000 participants. This cohort is expected to be a valuable resource for the national and international scientific community in providing evidence to support longer healthy lives.

The interaction between ABCA1 polymorphism and physical activity on the HDL-cholesterol levels in a Japanese population.

Few studies have investigated the interactions between HDL-C-related SNPs identified by genome-wide association (GWA) study and physical activity (PA) on HDL-C. First, we conducted a sex-stratified GWA study in a discovery sample (2,231 men and 2,431 women) and replication sample (2,599 men and 3,109 women) to identify SNPs influencing log-transformed HDL-C in Japanese participants in the baseline survey of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study. We also replicated previously reported HDL-C-related SNPs in a combined (discovery plus replication) sample (4,830 men and 5,540 women). We then analyzed the interactions of the HDL-C-related SNPs with PA on HDL-C. The sex-stratified GWA analyses identified 11 and 10 HDL-C-related SNPs in men and women as targets for an interaction analysis. Among these, only one interaction of ABCA1 rs1883025 with PA was statistically significant in men, after Bonferroni correction [P-interaction = 0.001 (α = 0.05/21 = 0.002)]. The per-major-allele (C allele) increase in log-transformed HDL-C was lost in men with low PA (ß = 0.008) compared with those with medium (ß = 0.032) or high PA (ß = 0.034). These findings suggest that the benefit of carrying a C allele of ABCA1 rs1883025 on enhancing HDL-C may be attenuated in inactive men.

Genome-wide association study revealed novel loci which aggravate asymptomatic hyperuricaemia into gout.

OBJECTIVE: The first ever genome-wide association study (GWAS) of clinically defined gout cases and asymptomatic hyperuricaemia (AHUA) controls was performed to identify novel gout loci that aggravate AHUA into gout. METHODS: We carried out a GWAS of 945 clinically defined gout cases and 1003 AHUA controls followed by 2 replication studies. In total, 2860 gout cases and 3149 AHUA controls (all Japanese men) were analysed. We also compared the ORs for each locus in the present GWAS (gout vs AHUA) with those in the previous GWAS (gout vs normouricaemia). RESULTS: This new approach enabled us to identify two novel gout loci (rs7927466 of CNTN5 and rs9952962 of MIR302F) and one suggestive locus (rs12980365 of ZNF724) at the genome-wide significance level (p<5.0×10-8). The present study also identified the loci of ABCG2, ALDH2 and SLC2A9. One of them, rs671 of ALDH2, was identified as a gout locus by GWAS for the first time. Comparing ORs for each locus in the present versus the previous GWAS revealed three 'gout vs AHUA GWAS'-specific loci (CNTN5, MIR302F and ZNF724) to be clearly associated with mechanisms of gout development which distinctly differ from the known gout risk loci that basically elevate serum uric acid level. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis is the first to reveal the loci associated with crystal-induced inflammation, the last step in gout development that aggravates AHUA into gout. Our findings should help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of gout development and assist the prevention of gout attacks in high-risk AHUA individuals.

Case-Control Study of Rotavirus Vaccine Effectiveness Compared to Test-Negative Controls or Hospital Controls.

BACKGROUND: Selection of test-negative controls takes less time and costs less than traditional control selection for evaluating vaccine effectiveness (VE). Here, rotavirus VE was evaluated using hospital controls and compared with test-negative controls to determine whether using the latter can substitute for the former. METHODS: We recorded gastroenteritis in children from 2 months to 2 years of age at six medical facilities in Saga City between January 4th and May 31st, 2014. Stools from all identified acute gastroenteritis patients were tested for rotavirus using immunochromatography. Rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) cases had test-positive stool, whereas test-negative controls had gastroenteritis but no rotavirus infection; hospital controls were outpatients visiting the same facility for indications other than gastroenteritis. Vaccination status was verified by inspecting maternal and child health records, and demographic data were obtained from a questionnaire completed by the patients' guardians or from the medical records. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for possible confounding factors. RESULTS: Sixty-four RVGE cases, 260 test-negative controls, and 589 hospital controls were enrolled. The characteristics of the two control groups, including RV vaccination history, were similar. The RVGE cases were more likely to have used daycare services than children from either of the two control groups. The VE against RVGE estimated using hospital controls was 86.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55.9-96.0%), very similar to the VE using test-negative controls (84.9% [95% CI, 49.6-95.5%]). CONCLUSIONS: The estimated VE using test-negative controls and hospital controls is similar. Therefore, test-negative controls are considered appropriate for establishing VE.

Habitual Light-intensity Physical Activity and ASC Methylation in a Middle-aged Population.

Apoptosis-associated, speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) plays an important role in inflammatory cytokine synthesis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and the expression of ASC is suppressed by increased methylation of its CpG sites. The current study investigated the longitudinal association of replacing sedentary time with light-intensity physical activity (LPA) or moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) on the ASC methylation in middle-aged people. We investigated 1 238 individuals who participated in baseline and 5-year follow-up surveys of a population-based cohort study. Sedentary, LPA and MVPA time were objectively measured using accelerometers. ASC methylation in PBMCs was measured by pyrosequencing. Using a multiple linear regression and employing an isotemporal substitution model, the longitudinal associations of changes in the sedentary time, LPA and MVPA on the changes in the ASC methylation were analyzed after adjusting for potential confounders. Substituting 60 min per day of LPA for sedentary time was associated with 1.17 times (95% confidence interval 1.07, 1.27) higher ASC methylation levels (mean of 7 CpG sites, P<0.001). However, such effects were not seen for MVPA. These results suggest that substituting LPA for sedentary time may be linked with increased (favorable) ASC methylation as a potential biomarker of systemic inflammation.