A genome-wide association study identifies KIAA0350 as a type 1 diabetes gene

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) in children results from autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells, leading to insufficient production of insulin. A number of genetic determinants of T1D have already been established through candidate gene studies, primarily within the major histocompatibility complex but also within other loci. To identify new genetic factors that increase the risk of T1D, we performed a genome-wide association study in a large paediatric cohort of European descent. In addition to confirming previously identified loci, we found that T1D was significantly associated with variation within a 233-kb linkage disequilibrium block on chromosome 16p13. This region contains KIAA0350, the gene product of which is predicted to be a sugar-binding, C-type lectin. Three common non-coding variants of the gene (rs2903692, rs725613 and rs17673553) in strong linkage disequilibrium reached genome-wide significance for association with T1D. A subsequent transmission disequilibrium test replication study in an independent cohort confirmed the association. These results indicate that KIAA0350 might be involved in the pathogenesis of T1D and demonstrate the utility of the genome-wide association approach in the identification of previously unsuspected genetic determinants of complex traits.     

Insulin-IGF2 region on chromosome 11p encodes a gene implicated in HLA-DR4-dependent diabetes susceptibility

A class of alleles at the VNTR (variable number of tandem repeat) locus in the 5' region of the insulin gene (INS) on chromosome 11p is associated with increased risk of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), but family studies have failed to demonstrate linkage. INS is thought to contribute to IDDM susceptibility but this view has been difficult to reconcile with the lack of linkage evidence. We thus investigated polymorphisms of INS and neighbouring loci in random diabetics, IDDM multiplex families and controls. HLA-DR4-positive diabetics showed an increased risk associated with common variants at polymorphic sites in a 19-kilobase segment spanned by the 5' INS VNTR and the third intron of the gene for insulin-like growth factor II (IGF2). As INS is the major candidate gene from this region, diabetic and control sequence were compared to identify all INS polymorphisms that could contribute to disease susceptibility. In multiplex families the IDDM-associated alleles were transmitted preferentially to HLA-DR4-positive diabetic offspring from heterozygous parents. The effect was strongest in paternal meioses, suggesting a possible role for maternal imprinting. Our results strongly support the existence of a gene or genes affecting HLA-DR4 IDDM susceptibility which is located in a 19-kilobase region of INS-IGF2. Our results also suggest new ways to map susceptibility loci in other common diseases.     

Mapping complex disease loci in whole-genome association studies

Identification of the genetic polymorphisms that contribute to susceptibility for common diseases such as type 2 diabetes and schizophrenia will aid in the development of diagnostics and therapeutics. Previous studies have focused on the technique of genetic linkage, but new technologies and experimental resources make whole-genome association studies more feasible. Association studies of this type have good prospects for dissecting the genetics of common disease, but they currently face a number of challenges, including problems with multiple testing and study design, definition of intermediate phenotypes and interaction between polymorphisms.     

Localization of type 1 diabetes susceptibility to the MHC class I genes HLA-B and HLA-A

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on chromosome 6 is associated with susceptibility to more common diseases than any other region of the human genome, including almost all disorders classified as autoimmune. In type 1 diabetes the major genetic susceptibility determinants have been mapped to the MHC class II genes HLA-DQB1 and HLA-DRB1 (refs 1-3), but these genes cannot completely explain the association between type 1 diabetes and the MHC region. Owing to the region's extreme gene density, the multiplicity of disease-associated alleles, strong associations between alleles, limited genotyping capability, and inadequate statistical approaches and sample sizes, which, and how many, loci within the MHC determine susceptibility remains unclear. Here, in several large type 1 diabetes data sets, we analyse a combined total of 1,729 polymorphisms, and apply statistical methods-recursive partitioning and regression-to pinpoint disease susceptibility to the MHC class I genes HLA-B and HLA-A (risk ratios >1.5; P(combined) = 2.01 x 10(-19) and 2.35 x 10(-13), respectively) in addition to the established associations of the MHC class II genes. Other loci with smaller and/or rarer effects might also be involved, but to find these, future searches must take into account both the HLA class II and class I genes and use even larger samples. Taken together with previous studies, we conclude that MHC-class-I-mediated events, principally involving HLA-B*39, contribute to the aetiology of type 1 diabetes.     

Human metabolic individuality in biomedical and pharmaceutical research

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified many risk loci for complex diseases, but effect sizes are typically small and information on the underlying biological processes is often lacking. Associations with metabolic traits as functional intermediates can overcome these problems and potentially inform individualized therapy. Here we report a comprehensive analysis of genotype-dependent metabolic phenotypes using a GWAS with non-targeted metabolomics. We identified 37 genetic loci associated with blood metabolite concentrations, of which 25 show effect sizes that are unusually high for GWAS and account for 10-60% differences in metabolite levels per allele copy. Our associations provide new functional insights for many disease-related associations that have been reported in previous studies, including those for cardiovascular and kidney disorders, type 2 diabetes, cancer, gout, venous thromboembolism and Crohn's disease. The study advances our knowledge of the genetic basis of metabolic individuality in humans and generates many new hypotheses for biomedical and pharmaceutical research.     

Association of the T-cell regulatory gene CTLA4 with susceptibility to autoimmune disease

Genes and mechanisms involved in common complex diseases, such as the autoimmune disorders that affect approximately 5% of the population, remain obscure. Here we identify polymorphisms of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 gene (CTLA4)--which encodes a vital negative regulatory molecule of the immune system--as candidates for primary determinants of risk of the common autoimmune disorders Graves' disease, autoimmune hypothyroidism and type 1 diabetes. In humans, disease susceptibility was mapped to a non-coding 6.1 kb 3' region of CTLA4, the common allelic variation of which was correlated with lower messenger RNA levels of the soluble alternative splice form of CTLA4. In the mouse model of type 1 diabetes, susceptibility was also associated with variation in CTLA-4 gene splicing with reduced production of a splice form encoding a molecule lacking the CD80/CD86 ligand-binding domain. Genetic mapping of variants conferring a small disease risk can identify pathways in complex disorders, as exemplified by our discovery of inherited, quantitative alterations of CTLA4 contributing to autoimmune tissue destruction.     

Hundreds of variants clustered in genomic loci and biological pathways affect human height

Most common human traits and diseases have a polygenic pattern of inheritance: DNA sequence variants at many genetic loci influence the phenotype. Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified more than 600 variants associated with human traits, but these typically explain small fractions of phenotypic variation, raising questions about the use of further studies. Here, using 183,727 individuals, we show that hundreds of genetic variants, in at least 180 loci, influence adult height, a highly heritable and classic polygenic trait. The large number of loci reveals patterns with important implications for genetic studies of common human diseases and traits. First, the 180 loci are not random, but instead are enriched for genes that are connected in biological pathways (P = 0.016) and that underlie skeletal growth defects (P?相似文献   

Nonsense mutation in the glucokinase gene causes early-onset non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a form of non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) which is characterized by an early age at onset and an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Except for these features, the clinical characteristics of patients with MODY are similar to those with the more common late-onset form(s) of NIDDM. Previously we observed tight linkage between DNA polymorphisms in the glucokinase gene on the short arm of chromosome 7 and NIDDM in a cohort of sixteen French families having MODY. Glucokinase is an enzyme that catalyses the formation of glucose-6-phosphate from glucose and may be involved in the regulation of insulin secretion and integration of hepatic intermediary metabolism. Because the glucokinase gene was a candidate for the site of the genetic lesion in these families, we scanned this gene for mutations. Here we report the identification of a nonsense mutation in the gene encoding glucokinase and its linkage with early-onset diabetes in one family. To our knowledge, this result is the first evidence implicating a mutation in a gene involved in glucose metabolism in the pathogenesis of NIDDM.     

Construction of a genetic linkage map for cotton based on SRAP

DNA markers have been widely used in construction of molecular genetic linkage maps in plants. The first genetic linkage map of cotton was constructed by Reinish in 1994 using RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism)[1], which included 705 polymorphic loci on 41 linkage groups with a total length of 4675 cM. Afterwards, several genetic linkage maps were constructed[2—7], but no map is comparable to this one in marker density. A high-density genetic linkage map could be applied effec…     

Mining,characterization, and exploitation of EST-derived microsatellites in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gossypium barbadense</Emphasis>

Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) have been widely applied as molecular markers in genetic studies. However, the number of ex-pressed sequence tags (ESTs) and SSR markers from Gossypium barbadense is fewer than those from other cotton species. In this study, EST-SSR distribution from G. barbadense was characterized and new G. barbadense-derived EST-SSR markers were de-termined on the basis of the ESTs obtained by randomly sequencing 2 cDNA libraries associated with fiber development in G. barbadense. By mining 9697 non-redundant ESTs, a total of 638 SSR loci derived from 595 ESTs were observed. In G. barba-dense, the frequency of ESTs containing SSRs was 6.13%, with an average of 1 SSR in every 10.4 kb of EST sequence. Further-more, trinucleotide was found to be the most abundant repeat type among 2–6-nucleotide repeat types. It accounted for 26.6% of the total, followed by the hexanucleotide (26.0%) and pentanucleotide repeats (25.9%). Among all the repeat motifs, (AAG)n accounted for the highest proportion. EST-SSR primer pairs were developed using the Primer3 program, and the redundant primers were removed using the virtual PCR approach. As a result, 380 non-redundant EST-SSR primer pairs were developed and used to detect polymorphisms between the mapping parents G. hirsutum ‘TM-1’ and G. barbadense ‘Hai7124’ for constructing linkage groups in cultivated allotetraploid cotton. Out of these, 98 (25.8%) primer pairs detected polymorphisms. Finally, 95 polymorphic loci from 82 primer pairs were integrated into the backbone genetic map; of these, 42 were mapped into the A subgenome and 53 into the D subgenome. The present work provided the foundation for constructing saturated genetic maps and conducting comparative genomic studies on different cotton species.     

利用位点信息分析遗传疾病与基因的关联性

人体的许多遗传疾病都与其基因包含的多个位点(SNPs)相关联。因此定位与遗传疾病相关联基因在染色体中的位置,能帮助研究人员了解疾病的遗传机理,预防某些遗传病的发生。利用全基因组关联分析方法,对两类样本(患病,未患病)各个位点上的碱基进行卡方检验,找出某种遗传病最有可能的致病位点,定位其所在的致病基因。利用连锁不平衡系数,得出最可能相关的致病基因,并通过聚类算法检验结论的合理性。     

贵州马铁菊头蝠群体遗传结构的微卫星分析

利用6对微卫星引物对贵州马铁菊头蝠的等位基因频率、基因杂合度和多态性信息含量进行了遗传检测。结果表明,6对微卫星引物共扩增出18个等位基因。基因频率分布在0.021 0～0.833 0之间。6个微卫星位点的平均杂合度为0.342 7,平均多态性信息含量为0.381 3。分析认为贵州马铁菊头蝠遗传多样性相对较低。     

Mechanisms linking obesity to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In obese individuals, adipose tissue releases increased amounts of non-esterified fatty acids, glycerol, hormones, pro-inflammatory cytokines and other factors that are involved in the development of insulin resistance. When insulin resistance is accompanied by dysfunction of pancreatic islet beta-cells - the cells that release insulin - failure to control blood glucose levels results. Abnormalities in beta-cell function are therefore critical in defining the risk and development of type 2 diabetes. This knowledge is fostering exploration of the molecular and genetic basis of the disease and new approaches to its treatment and prevention.     

微卫星DNA多态性分析在常用近交系小鼠遗传监测中的应用研究

实验动物遗传质量监测的目的是检查该品系的动物是否发生了遗传变异 ,是否混入其它品种、品系动物血缘或发生了错误的交配等 ,以确保检测群体符合该遗传群体的要求。目前国家标准推荐的遗传监测方法主要是生化标记分析法。这一方法的实质是检测同工酶或异构蛋白的变化来推测相应的基因变化 ,因而不可避免地存在着精确度不高、检测位点及反映遗传概貌有限等局限性 ,同时还存在着结果不易分析判读等不足。而微卫星技术具有丰富的可供个体识别标志的微卫星位点 (截止 1999年已知 730 0多个小鼠微卫星位点 ) ,可呈现丰富的可供分析的图带 ,产生…     

Genome-wide association study of 14,000 cases of seven common diseases and 3,000 shared controls

There is increasing evidence that genome-wide association (GWA) studies represent a powerful approach to the identification of genes involved in common human diseases. We describe a joint GWA study (using the Affymetrix GeneChip 500K Mapping Array Set) undertaken in the British population, which has examined approximately 2,000 individuals for each of 7 major diseases and a shared set of approximately 3,000 controls. Case-control comparisons identified 24 independent association signals at P < 5 x 10(-7): 1 in bipolar disorder, 1 in coronary artery disease, 9 in Crohn's disease, 3 in rheumatoid arthritis, 7 in type 1 diabetes and 3 in type 2 diabetes. On the basis of prior findings and replication studies thus-far completed, almost all of these signals reflect genuine susceptibility effects. We observed association at many previously identified loci, and found compelling evidence that some loci confer risk for more than one of the diseases studied. Across all diseases, we identified a large number of further signals (including 58 loci with single-point P values between 10(-5) and 5 x 10(-7)) likely to yield additional susceptibility loci. The importance of appropriately large samples was confirmed by the modest effect sizes observed at most loci identified. This study thus represents a thorough validation of the GWA approach. It has also demonstrated that careful use of a shared control group represents a safe and effective approach to GWA analyses of multiple disease phenotypes; has generated a genome-wide genotype database for future studies of common diseases in the British population; and shown that, provided individuals with non-European ancestry are excluded, the extent of population stratification in the British population is generally modest. Our findings offer new avenues for exploring the pathophysiology of these important disorders. We anticipate that our data, results and software, which will be widely available to other investigators, will provide a powerful resource for human genetics research.     

Rare chromosomal deletions and duplications increase risk of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder marked by hallucinations, delusions, cognitive deficits and apathy, with a heritability estimated at 73-90% (ref. 1). Inheritance patterns are complex, and the number and type of genetic variants involved are not understood. Copy number variants (CNVs) have been identified in individual patients with schizophrenia and also in neurodevelopmental disorders, but large-scale genome-wide surveys have not been performed. Here we report a genome-wide survey of rare CNVs in 3,391 patients with schizophrenia and 3,181 ancestrally matched controls, using high-density microarrays. For CNVs that were observed in less than 1% of the sample and were more than 100 kilobases in length, the total burden is increased 1.15-fold in patients with schizophrenia in comparison with controls. This effect was more pronounced for rarer, single-occurrence CNVs and for those that involved genes as opposed to those that did not. As expected, deletions were found within the region critical for velo-cardio-facial syndrome, which includes psychotic symptoms in 30% of patients. Associations with schizophrenia were also found for large deletions on chromosome 15q13.3 and 1q21.1. These associations have not previously been reported, and they remained significant after genome-wide correction. Our results provide strong support for a model of schizophrenia pathogenesis that includes the effects of multiple rare structural variants, both genome-wide and at specific loci.     

Calpain 10基因与新疆维吾尔族2型糖尿病遗传易感性研究

研究Calpain 10基因单核苷酸多态性（SNP）43G-A和63C-T两个位点与新疆地区维吾尔族人群2型糖尿病（Type 2 diabetes mellitus,T2DM）之间的关系。采用1∶1病例——对照研究方法,以聚合酶链式反应——限制性内切酶长度多态性（PCR-RFLP）技术,对120例T2DM患者和120例正常对照者Calpain 10基因SNP43、SNP63多态性位点进行基因分型。SNP43多态性位点的基因型和等位基因频率在病例组和正常对照组中的分布存在差异,T2DM组中GG基因型和等位基因频率均低于对照组,但是A等位基因频率高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.005）;SNP63多态性位点的基因型频率和等位基因频率在病例组和正常对照组中的分布无显著差异,（P〉0.005）。结果表明：（1）Calpain 10基因SNP43多态性位点与新疆地区维吾尔族人群T2DM有明显相关性;（2）SNP63多态性位点与新疆地区维吾尔族人群T2DM无明显相关性。     

近交系小鼠微卫星DNA引物的筛选和Tm值优化研究

目的通过对近交系小鼠微卫星引物的筛选和Tm值优化研究,以探索小鼠DNA多态性检测方法。方法随机选用32对位于小鼠不同染色体的微卫星引物,用PCR扩增方法对常用C57BL/6、C3H、BALB/c、DBA/2、129、FVB及SCID近交系小鼠DNA多态性进行扩增和电泳分析,并对其中25对引物的Tm值进行优化。结果 25对引物可稳定扩增,2对引物在不同品系小鼠间表现为单态性,23对引物在不同品系间呈多态性,10对引物呈显著多态性(3～4个态性)。结论所筛选和优化的25对微卫星引物,对不同品系小鼠DNA可稳定扩增,其电泳结果具有较高的DNA多态性,可反映不同品系小鼠的遗传概貌。