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Jiang L, Gangireddy S, Dickson AL, Xin Y, Yan C, Kawai V, Cox NJ, Linton MF, Wei WQ, Stein CM, Feng Q. Characterizing genetic profiles for high triglyceride levels in U.S. patients of African ancestry. J Lipid Res 2024:100569. [PMID: 38795861 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is a common cardiovascular risk factor characterized by elevated circulating triglyceride (TG) levels. Researchers have assessed the genetic factors that influence HTG in studies focused predominantly on individuals of European ancestry (EA). However, relatively little is known about the contribution of genetic variation to HTG in people of AA, potentially constraining research and treatment opportunities; the lipid profile for African ancestry (AA) populations differs from that of EA populations-which may be partially attributable to genetics. Our objective was to characterize genetic profiles among individuals of AA with mild-to-moderate HTG and severe HTG versus those with normal TGs by leveraging whole genome sequencing (WGS) data and longitudinal electronic health records (EHRs) available in the All of Us (AoU) program. We compared the enrichment of functional variants within five canonical TG metabolism genes, an AA-specific polygenic risk score for TGs, and frequencies of 145 known potentially causal TG variants between patients with HTG and normal TG among a cohort of AA patients (N=15,373). Those with mild-to-moderate HTG (N=342) and severe HTG (N≤20) were more likely to carry APOA5 p.S19W (OR=1.94, 95% CI [1.48-2.54], p=1.63×10-6 and OR=3.65, 95% CI [1.22-10.93], p=0.02, respectively) than those with normal TG. They were also more likely to have an elevated (top 10%) PRS, elevated carriage of potentially causal variant alleles, and carry any genetic risk factor. Alternative definitions of HTG yielded comparable results. In conclusion, individuals of AA with HTG were enriched for genetic risk factors compared to individuals with normal TGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Jiang
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Srushti Gangireddy
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Alyson L Dickson
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Yi Xin
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Chao Yan
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Vivian Kawai
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Nancy J Cox
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - MacRae F Linton
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Wei-Qi Wei
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - C Michael Stein
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - QiPing Feng
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
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2
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Brandenburg JT, Chen WC, Boua PR, Govender MA, Agongo G, Micklesfield LK, Sorgho H, Tollman S, Asiki G, Mashinya F, Hazelhurst S, Morris AP, Fabian J, Ramsay M. Genetic association and transferability for urinary albumin-creatinine ratio as a marker of kidney disease in four Sub-Saharan African populations and non-continental individuals of African ancestry. Front Genet 2024; 15:1372042. [PMID: 38812969 PMCID: PMC11134365 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1372042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have predominantly focused on populations of European and Asian ancestry, limiting our understanding of genetic factors influencing kidney disease in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) populations. This study presents the largest GWAS for urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) in SSA individuals, including 8,970 participants living in different African regions and an additional 9,705 non-resident individuals of African ancestry from the UK Biobank and African American cohorts. Methods Urine biomarkers and genotype data were obtained from two SSA cohorts (AWI-Gen and ARK), and two non-resident African-ancestry studies (UK Biobank and CKD-Gen Consortium). Association testing and meta-analyses were conducted, with subsequent fine-mapping, conditional analyses, and replication studies. Polygenic scores (PGS) were assessed for transferability across populations. Results Two genome-wide significant (P < 5 × 10-8) UACR-associated loci were identified, one in the BMP6 region on chromosome 6, in the meta-analysis of resident African individuals, and another in the HBB region on chromosome 11 in the meta-analysis of non-resident SSA individuals, as well as the combined meta-analysis of all studies. Replication of previous significant results confirmed associations in known UACR-associated regions, including THB53, GATM, and ARL15. PGS estimated using previous studies from European ancestry, African ancestry, and multi-ancestry cohorts exhibited limited transferability of PGS across populations, with less than 1% of observed variance explained. Conclusion This study contributes novel insights into the genetic architecture of kidney disease in SSA populations, emphasizing the need for conducting genetic research in diverse cohorts. The identified loci provide a foundation for future investigations into the genetic susceptibility to chronic kidney disease in underrepresented African populations Additionally, there is a need to develop integrated scores using multi-omics data and risk factors specific to the African context to improve the accuracy of predicting disease outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Tristan Brandenburg
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Strengthening Oncology Services Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Wenlong Carl Chen
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Strengthening Oncology Services Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- National Cancer Registry, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Palwende Romuald Boua
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Nanoro, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Godfred Agongo
- Navrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Lisa K. Micklesfield
- SAMRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Hermann Sorgho
- Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Nanoro, Burkina Faso
| | - Stephen Tollman
- Medical Research Council/Wits University Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Gershim Asiki
- African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Felistas Mashinya
- Department of Pathology and Medical Sciences, School of Healthcare Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa
| | - Scott Hazelhurst
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Andrew P. Morris
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - June Fabian
- Medical Research Council/Wits University Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Michèle Ramsay
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Jiang L, Gangireddy S, Dickson AL, Xin Y, Yan C, Kawai V, Cox NJ, Linton MF, Wei WQ, Stein CM, Feng Q. Characterizing genetic profiles for high triglyceride levels in U.S. patients of African ancestry. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.03.11.24304107. [PMID: 38559137 PMCID: PMC10980129 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.11.24304107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is a common cardiovascular risk factor characterized by elevated circulating triglyceride (TG) levels. Researchers have assessed the genetic factors that influence HTG in studies focused predominantly on individuals of European ancestry (EA). However, relatively little is known about the contribution of genetic variation to HTG in people of AA, potentially constraining research and treatment opportunities; the lipid profile for African ancestry (AA) populations differs from that of EA populations-which may be partially attributable to genetics. Our objective was to characterize genetic profiles among individuals of AA with mild-to-moderate HTG and severe HTG versus those with normal TGs by leveraging whole genome sequencing (WGS) data and longitudinal electronic health records (EHRs) available in the All of Us (AoU) program. We compared the enrichment of functional variants within five canonical TG metabolism genes, an AA-specific polygenic risk score for TGs, and frequencies of 145 known potentially causal TG variants between patients with HTG and normal TG among a cohort of AA patients (N=15,373). Those with mild-to-moderate HTG (N=342) and severe HTG (N≤20) were more likely to carry APOA5 p.S19W (OR=1.94, 95% CI [1.48-2.54], p=1.63×10 -6 and OR=3.65, 95% CI [1.22-10.93], p=0.02, respectively) than those with normal TG. They were also more likely to have an elevated (top 10%) PRS, elevated carriage of potentially causal variant alleles, and carry any genetic risk factor. Alternative definitions of HTG yielded comparable results. In conclusion, individuals of AA with HTG were enriched for genetic risk factors compared to individuals with normal TGs.
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Espinoza B, Rangel-Flores H, Saucedo-Arteaga G, Martínez I, Aguilar-Salinas CA, Cabrera-Mendoza B, Ponce-Patiño D, Mendoza-Duarter J, Martínez-Rangel CE. First Report of Seropositivity to Trypanosoma cruzi in Mexican Afro-Descendants from Guerrero and Oaxaca States. J Parasitol Res 2024; 2024:2014142. [PMID: 38751402 PMCID: PMC11095991 DOI: 10.1155/2024/2014142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Mexican Afro-descendant is a population poorly studied in many aspects, between them the infectious diseases that they suffer. This population is mainly found in the country's Pacific (Oaxaca and Guerrero states) and Atlantic (Veracruz) coast. In these regions, a diversity of triatomine vectors of the Chagas disease is found. Also, all the genotypes of Trypanosoma cruzi DTUs have been reported. That is why the present study aimed to study the presence of antibodies against T. cruzi and cardiac pathology associated with the Chagas disease in the Mexican Afro-descendant population of Guerrero and Oaxaca. ELISA, Western blot, and recombinant antigen's ELISA were used to evaluate the seropositivity of these communities. Furthermore, an electrocardiographic study and evaluation of risk factors associated with T. cruzi infection in the Oaxaca and Guerrero populations were conducted. 26.77% of the analyzed population was positive for two serological tests. These percentages are higher than the previously reported for the mestizo population in similar studies. Electrocardiographic results showed cardiac disorder associated with the Chagas disease in the population. Also, risk factors were identified associated with the men's activities in the outdoor working areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertha Espinoza
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, Ciudad de México 04010, Mexico
| | - Hilda Rangel-Flores
- Centro de Investigación Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP), Cuernavaca, Morelos 62100, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Saucedo-Arteaga
- Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico
| | - Ignacio Martínez
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, Ciudad de México 04010, Mexico
| | - Carlos A. Aguilar-Salinas
- Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Ciudad de México 14080, Mexico
| | - Brenda Cabrera-Mendoza
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, Ciudad de México 04010, Mexico
| | - David Ponce-Patiño
- Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, Ciudad de México 04010, Mexico
| | - Javier Mendoza-Duarter
- Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad, Centenario de la Revolución Emiliano Zapata, ISSSTE, Emiliano Zapata, Morelos 62765, Mexico
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Troubat L, Fettahoglu D, Henches L, Aschard H, Julienne H. Multi-trait GWAS for diverse ancestries: mapping the knowledge gap. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:375. [PMID: 38627641 PMCID: PMC11022331 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10293-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately 95% of samples analyzed in univariate genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are of European ancestry. This bias toward European ancestry populations in association screening also exists for other analyses and methods that are often developed and tested on European ancestry only. However, existing data in non-European populations, which are often of modest sample size, could benefit from innovative approaches as recently illustrated in the context of polygenic risk scores. METHODS Here, we extend and assess the potential limitations and gains of our multi-trait GWAS pipeline, JASS (Joint Analysis of Summary Statistics), for the analysis of non-European ancestries. To this end, we conducted the joint GWAS of 19 hematological traits and glycemic traits across five ancestries (European (EUR), admixed American (AMR), African (AFR), East Asian (EAS), and South-East Asian (SAS)). RESULTS We detected 367 new genome-wide significant associations in non-European populations (15 in Admixed American (AMR), 72 in African (AFR) and 280 in East Asian (EAS)). New associations detected represent 5%, 17% and 13% of associations in the AFR, AMR and EAS populations, respectively. Overall, multi-trait testing increases the replication of European associated loci in non-European ancestry by 15%. Pleiotropic effects were highly similar at significant loci across ancestries (e.g. the mean correlation between multi-trait genetic effects of EUR and EAS ancestries was 0.88). For hematological traits, strong discrepancies in multi-trait genetic effects are tied to known evolutionary divergences: the ARKC1 loci, which is adaptive to overcome p.vivax induced malaria. CONCLUSIONS Multi-trait GWAS can be a valuable tool to narrow the genetic knowledge gap between European and non-European populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Troubat
- Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Deniz Fettahoglu
- Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Léo Henches
- Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Hugues Aschard
- Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, F-75015, France
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Hanna Julienne
- Department of Computational Biology, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, F-75015, France.
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Hub, Paris, F-75015, France.
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Brandenburg JT, Chen WC, Boua PR, Govender MA, Agongo G, Micklesfield LK, Sorgho H, Tollman S, Asiki G, Mashinya F, Hazelhurst S, Morris AP, Fabian J, Ramsay M. Genetic Association and Transferability for Urinary Albumin-Creatinine Ratio as a Marker of Kidney Disease in four Sub-Saharan African Populations and non-continental Individuals of African Ancestry. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.01.17.24301398. [PMID: 38293229 PMCID: PMC10827237 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.17.24301398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have predominantly focused on populations of European and Asian ancestry, limiting our understanding of genetic factors influencing kidney disease in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) populations. This study presents the largest GWAS for urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) in SSA individuals, including 8,970 participants living in different African regions and an additional 9,705 non-resident individuals of African ancestry from the UK Biobank and African American cohorts. METHODS Urine biomarkers and genotype data were obtained from two SSA cohorts (AWI-Gen and ARK), and two non-resident African-ancestry studies (UK Biobank and CKD-Gen Consortium). Association testing and meta-analyses were conducted, with subsequent fine-mapping, conditional analyses, and replication studies. Polygenic scores (PGS) were assessed for transferability across populations. RESULTS Two genome-wide significant (P<5x10-8) UACR-associated loci were identified, one in the BMP6 region on chromosome 6, in the meta-analysis of resident African individuals, and another in the HBB region on chromosome 11 in the meta-analysis of non-resident SSA individuals, as well as the combined meta-analysis of all studies. Replication of previous significant results confirmed associations in known UACR-associated regions, including THB53, GATM, and ARL15. PGS estimated using previous studies from European ancestry, African ancestry, and multi-ancestry cohorts exhibited limited transferability of PGS across populations, with less than 1% of observed variance explained. CONCLUSION This study contributes novel insights into the genetic architecture of kidney disease in SSA populations, emphasizing the need for conducting genetic research in diverse cohorts. The identified loci provide a foundation for future investigations into the genetic susceptibility to chronic kidney disease in underrepresented African populations Additionally, there is a need to develop integrated scores using multi-omics data and risk factors specific to the African context to improve the accuracy of predicting disease outcomes. METHODS Urine biomarkers and genotype data were obtained from two SSA cohorts (AWI-Gen and ARK), and two non-resident African-ancestry studies (UK Biobank and CKD-Gen Consortium). Association testing and meta-analyses were conducted, with subsequent fine-mapping, conditional analyses, and replication studies. Polygenic scores (PGS) were assessed for transferability across populations. RESULTS Two genome-wide significant (P<5x10-8) UACR-associated loci were identified, one in the BMP6 region on chromosome 6, in the meta-analysis of resident African individuals, and another in the HBB region on chromosome 11 in the meta-analysis of non-resident SSA individuals, as well as the combined meta-analysis of all studies. Replication of previous significant results confirmed associations in known UACR-associated regions, including THB53, GATM, and ARL15. PGS estimated using previous studies from European ancestry, African ancestry, and multi-ancestry cohorts exhibited limited transferability of PGS across populations, with less than 1% of observed variance explained. CONCLUSION This study contributes novel insights into the genetic architecture of kidney function in SSA populations, emphasizing the need for conducting genetic research in diverse cohorts. The identified loci provide a foundation for future investigations into the genetic susceptibility to chronic kidney disease in underrepresented African populations.
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Jaffe K, Greene AK, Chen L, Ryan KA, Krenz C, Roberts JS, Zikmund-Fisher BJ, McGuire AL, Thomas JD, Marsh EE, Spector-Bagdady K. Genetic Researchers' Use of and Interest in Research With Diverse Ancestral Groups. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e246805. [PMID: 38625702 PMCID: PMC11022111 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.6805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Genetic researchers must have access to databases populated with data from diverse ancestral groups to ensure research is generalizable or targeted for historically excluded communities. Objective To determine genetic researchers' interest in doing research with diverse ancestral populations, which database stewards offer adequate samples, and additional facilitators for use of diverse ancestral data. Design, Setting, and Participants This survey study was conducted from June to December 2022 and was part of an exploratory sequential mixed-methods project in which previous qualitative results informed survey design. Eligible participants included genetic researchers who held US academic affiliations and conducted research using human genetic databases. Exposure Internet-administered survey to genetic research professionals. Main Outcomes and Measures The survey assessed respondents' experience and interest in research with diverse ancestral data, perceptions of adequacy of diverse data across database stewards (ie, private, government, or consortia), and identified facilitators for encouraging use of diverse ancestral data. Descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and z tests were used to describe respondents' perspectives and experiences. Results A total of 294 researchers (171 men [58.5%]; 121 women [41.2%]) were included in the study, resulting in a response rate of 20.4%. Across seniority level, 109 respondents (37.1%) were senior researchers, 85 (28.9%) were mid-level researchers, 71 (24.1%) were junior researchers, and 27 (9.2%) were trainees. Significantly more respondents worked with data from European ancestral populations (261 respondents [88.8%]) compared with any other ancestral population. Respondents who had not done research with Indigenous ancestral groups (210 respondents [71.4%]) were significantly more likely to report interest in doing so than not (121 respondents [41.2%] vs 89 respondents [30.3%]; P < .001). Respondents reported discrepancies in the adequacy of ancestral populations with significantly more reporting European samples as adequate across consortium (203 respondents [90.6%]), government (200 respondents [89.7%]), and private (42 respondents [80.8%]) databases, compared with any other ancestral population. There were no significant differences in reported adequacy of ancestral populations across database stewards. A majority of respondents without access to adequate diverse samples reported that increasing the ancestral diversity of existing databases (201 respondents [68.4%]) and increasing access to databases that are already diverse (166 respondents [56.5%]) would increase the likelihood of them using a more diverse sample. Conclusions and Relevance In this survey study of US genetic researchers, respondents reported existing databases only provide adequate ancestral samples for European populations, despite their interest in other ancestral populations. These findings suggest there are specific gaps in access to and composition of genetic databases, highlighting the urgent need to boost diversity in research samples to improve inclusivity in genetic research practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn Jaffe
- Department of Health Promotion and Policy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
| | - Amanda K. Greene
- Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
| | - Luyun Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
| | - Kerry A. Ryan
- Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
| | - Chris Krenz
- Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
| | - J. Scott Roberts
- Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor
| | - Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher
- Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
| | - Amy L. McGuire
- Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - J. Denard Thomas
- Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
| | - Erica E. Marsh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
- Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Kayte Spector-Bagdady
- Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
- Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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Choi WJ, Kim SH, Lee SR, Oh SH, Kim SW, Shin HY, Park HJ. Global carrier frequency and predicted genetic prevalence of patients with pathogenic sequence variants in autosomal recessive genetic neuromuscular diseases. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3806. [PMID: 38361118 PMCID: PMC10869705 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54413-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic neuromuscular diseases are clinically and genetically heterogeneous genetic disorders that primarily affect the peripheral nerves, muscles, and neuromuscular junctions. This study aimed to identify pathogenic variants, calculate carrier frequency, and predict the genetic prevalence of autosomal recessive neuromuscular diseases (AR-NMDs). We selected 268 AR-NMD genes and analyzed their genetic variants sourced from the gnomAD database. After identifying the pathogenic variants using an algorithm, we calculated the carrier frequency and predicted the genetic prevalence of AR-NMDs. In total, 10,887 pathogenic variants were identified, including 3848 literature verified and 7039 manually verified variants. In the global population, the carrier frequency of AR-NMDs is 32.9%, with variations across subpopulations ranging from 22.4% in the Finnish population to 36.2% in the non-Finnish European population. The predicted genetic prevalence of AR-NMDs was estimated to be 24.3 cases per 100,000 individuals worldwide, with variations across subpopulations ranging from 26.5 to 41.4 cases per 100,000 individuals in the Latino/Admixed American and the Ashkenazi Jewish populations, respectively. The AR-NMD gene with the highest carrier frequency was GAA (1.3%) and the variant with the highest allele frequency was c.-32-13 T>G in GAA with 0.0033 in the global population. Our study revealed a higher-than-expected frequency of AR-NMD carriers, constituting approximately one-third of the global population, highlighting ethnic heterogeneity in genetic susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won-Jun Choi
- CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Hyun Kim
- Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonju-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Rok Lee
- Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonju-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Hun Oh
- Department of Neurology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Woo Kim
- Department of Neurology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ha Young Shin
- Department of Neurology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Jun Park
- Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonju-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, 06273, Republic of Korea.
- Rehabilitation Institute of Neuromuscular Disease, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Alamad B, Elliott K, Knight JC. Cross-population applications of genomics to understand the risk of multifactorial traits involving inflammation and immunity. CAMBRIDGE PRISMS. PRECISION MEDICINE 2024; 2:e3. [PMID: 38549844 PMCID: PMC10953767 DOI: 10.1017/pcm.2023.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The interplay between genetic and environmental factors plays a significant role in interindividual variation in immune and inflammatory responses. The availability of high-throughput low-cost genotyping and next-generation sequencing has revolutionized our ability to identify human genetic variation and understand how this varies within and between populations, and the relationship with disease. In this review, we explore the potential of genomics for patient benefit, specifically in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of inflammatory and immune-related diseases. We summarize the knowledge arising from genetic and functional genomic approaches, and the opportunity for personalized medicine. The review covers applications in infectious diseases, rare immunodeficiencies and autoimmune diseases, illustrating advances in diagnosis and understanding risk including use of polygenic risk scores. We further explore the application for patient stratification and drug target prioritization. The review highlights a key challenge to the field arising from the lack of sufficient representation of genetically diverse populations in genomic studies. This currently limits the clinical utility of genetic-based diagnostic and risk-based applications in non-Caucasian populations. We highlight current genome projects, initiatives and biobanks from diverse populations and how this is being used to improve healthcare globally by improving our understanding of genetic susceptibility to diseases and regional pathogens such as malaria and tuberculosis. Future directions and opportunities for personalized medicine and wider application of genomics in health care are described, for the benefit of individual patients and populations worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bana Alamad
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kate Elliott
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julian C. Knight
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Chinese Academy of Medical Science Oxford Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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10
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Kachuri L, Chatterjee N, Hirbo J, Schaid DJ, Martin I, Kullo IJ, Kenny EE, Pasaniuc B, Witte JS, Ge T. Principles and methods for transferring polygenic risk scores across global populations. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:8-25. [PMID: 37620596 PMCID: PMC10961971 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00637-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) summarize the genetic predisposition of a complex human trait or disease and may become a valuable tool for advancing precision medicine. However, PRSs that are developed in populations of predominantly European genetic ancestries can increase health disparities due to poor predictive performance in individuals of diverse and complex genetic ancestries. We describe genetic and modifiable risk factors that limit the transferability of PRSs across populations and review the strengths and weaknesses of existing PRS construction methods for diverse ancestries. Developing PRSs that benefit global populations in research and clinical settings provides an opportunity for innovation and is essential for health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Kachuri
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nilanjan Chatterjee
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jibril Hirbo
- Department of Medicine Division of Genetic Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Daniel J Schaid
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Iman Martin
- Division of Genomic Medicine, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Iftikhar J Kullo
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Eimear E Kenny
- Institute for Genomic Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bogdan Pasaniuc
- Department of Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John S Witte
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Tian Ge
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Center for Precision Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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11
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Chotiprasidhi P, Sato-Espinoza AK, Wangensteen KJ. Germline Genetic Associations for Hepatobiliary Cancers. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 17:623-638. [PMID: 38163482 PMCID: PMC10899027 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Hepatobiliary cancers (HBCs) include hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, and gallbladder carcinoma, which originate from the liver, bile ducts, and gallbladder, respectively. They are responsible for a substantial burden of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite knowledge of risk factors and advancements in therapeutics and surgical interventions, the prognosis for most patients with HBC remains bleak. There is evidence from familial aggregation and case-control studies to suggest a familial risk component in HBC susceptibility. Recent progress in genomics research has led to the identification of germline variants including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in cancer-associated genes associated with HBC risk. These findings emerged from genome-wide association studies and next-generation sequencing techniques such as whole-exome sequencing. Patients with other cancer types, including breast, colon, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer, are recommended by guidelines to undergo germline genetic testing, but similar recommendations are lagging in HBC. This prompts the question of whether multi-gene panel testing should be integrated into clinical guidelines for HBC management. Here, we review the hereditary genetics of HBC, explore studies investigating SNPs and P/LP variants in HBC patients, discuss the clinical implications and potential for personalized treatments and impact on patient's family members, and conclude that additional studies are needed to examine how genetic testing can be applied clinically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perapa Chotiprasidhi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | | | - Kirk J Wangensteen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
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12
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Tibelius A, Evers C, Oeser S, Rinke I, Jauch A, Hinderhofer K. Compilation of Genotype and Phenotype Data in GCDH-LOVD for Variant Classification and Further Application. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2218. [PMID: 38137040 PMCID: PMC10742628 DOI: 10.3390/genes14122218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutaric aciduria type 1 (GA-1) is a rare but treatable autosomal-recessive neurometabolic disorder of lysin metabolism caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase gene (GCDH) that lead to deficiency of GCDH protein. Without treatment, this enzyme defect causes a neurological phenotype characterized by movement disorder and cognitive impairment. Based on a comprehensive literature search, we established a large dataset of GCDH variants using the Leiden Open Variation Database (LOVD) to summarize the known genotypes and the clinical and biochemical phenotypes associated with GA-1. With these data, we developed a GCDH-specific variation classification framework based on American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology guidelines. We used this framework to reclassify published variants and to describe their geographic distribution, both of which have practical implications for the molecular genetic diagnosis of GA-1. The freely available GCDH-specific LOVD dataset provides a basis for diagnostic laboratories and researchers to further optimize their knowledge and molecular diagnosis of this rare disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Tibelius
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christina Evers
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabrina Oeser
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Isabelle Rinke
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Jauch
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katrin Hinderhofer
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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13
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Tallman S, Sungo MDD, Saranga S, Beleza S. Whole genomes from Angola and Mozambique inform about the origins and dispersals of major African migrations. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7967. [PMID: 38042927 PMCID: PMC10693643 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43717-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023] Open
Abstract
As the continent of origin for our species, Africa harbours the highest levels of diversity anywhere on Earth. However, many regions of Africa remain under-sampled genetically. Here we present 350 whole genomes from Angola and Mozambique belonging to ten Bantu ethnolinguistic groups, enabling the construction of a reference variation catalogue including 2.9 million novel SNPs. We investigate the emergence of Bantu speaker population structure, admixture involving migrations across sub-Saharan Africa and model the demographic histories of Angolan and Mozambican Bantu speakers. Our results bring together concordant views from genomics, archaeology, and linguistics to paint an updated view of the complexity of the Bantu Expansion. Moreover, we generate reference panels that better represents the diversity of African populations involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, improving imputation accuracy in African Americans and Brazilians. We anticipate that our collection of genomes will form the foundation for future African genomic healthcare initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Tallman
- University of Leicester, Department of Genetics & Genome Biology, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
- Genomics England, 1 Canada Square, London, E14 5AB, UK
| | | | - Sílvio Saranga
- Universidade Pedagógica, Avenida Eduardo Mondlane, CP 2107, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Sandra Beleza
- University of Leicester, Department of Genetics & Genome Biology, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
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14
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Wilson LA, Macken WL, Perry LD, Record CJ, Schon KR, Frezatti RSS, Raga S, Naidu K, Köken ÖY, Polat I, Kapapa MM, Dominik N, Efthymiou S, Morsy H, Nel M, Fassad MR, Gao F, Patel K, Schoonen M, Bisschoff M, Vorster A, Jonvik H, Human R, Lubbe E, Nonyane M, Vengalil S, Nashi S, Srivastava K, Lemmers RJLF, Reyaz A, Mishra R, Töpf A, Trainor CI, Steyn EC, Mahungu AC, van der Vliet PJ, Ceylan AC, Hiz AS, Çavdarlı B, Semerci Gündüz CN, Ceylan GG, Nagappa M, Tallapaka KB, Govindaraj P, van der Maarel SM, Narayanappa G, Nandeesh BN, Wa Somwe S, Bearden DR, Kvalsund MP, Ramdharry GM, Oktay Y, Yiş U, Topaloğlu H, Sarkozy A, Bugiardini E, Henning F, Wilmshurst JM, Heckmann JM, McFarland R, Taylor RW, Smuts I, van der Westhuizen FH, Sobreira CFDR, Tomaselli PJ, Marques W, Bhatia R, Dalal A, Srivastava MVP, Yareeda S, Nalini A, Vishnu VY, Thangaraj K, Straub V, Horvath R, Chinnery PF, Pitceathly RDS, Muntoni F, Houlden H, Vandrovcova J, Reilly MM, Hanna MG. Neuromuscular disease genetics in under-represented populations: increasing data diversity. Brain 2023; 146:5098-5109. [PMID: 37516995 PMCID: PMC10690022 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) affect ∼15 million people globally. In high income settings DNA-based diagnosis has transformed care pathways and led to gene-specific therapies. However, most affected families are in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs) with limited access to DNA-based diagnosis. Most (86%) published genetic data is derived from European ancestry. This marked genetic data inequality hampers understanding of genetic diversity and hinders accurate genetic diagnosis in all income settings. We developed a cloud-based transcontinental partnership to build diverse, deeply-phenotyped and genetically characterized cohorts to improve genetic architecture knowledge, and potentially advance diagnosis and clinical management. We connected 18 centres in Brazil, India, South Africa, Turkey, Zambia, Netherlands and the UK. We co-developed a cloud-based data solution and trained 17 international neurology fellows in clinical genomic data interpretation. Single gene and whole exome data were analysed via a bespoke bioinformatics pipeline and reviewed alongside clinical and phenotypic data in global webinars to inform genetic outcome decisions. We recruited 6001 participants in the first 43 months. Initial genetic analyses 'solved' or 'possibly solved' ∼56% probands overall. In-depth genetic data review of the four commonest clinical categories (limb girdle muscular dystrophy, inherited peripheral neuropathies, congenital myopathy/muscular dystrophies and Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy) delivered a ∼59% 'solved' and ∼13% 'possibly solved' outcome. Almost 29% of disease causing variants were novel, increasing diverse pathogenic variant knowledge. Unsolved participants represent a new discovery cohort. The dataset provides a large resource from under-represented populations for genetic and translational research. In conclusion, we established a remote transcontinental partnership to assess genetic architecture of NMDs across diverse populations. It supported DNA-based diagnosis, potentially enabling genetic counselling, care pathways and eligibility for gene-specific trials. Similar virtual partnerships could be adopted by other areas of global genomic neurological practice to reduce genetic data inequality and benefit patients globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay A Wilson
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - William L Macken
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Luke D Perry
- Institute of Child Health and Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, Neurosciences Unit, The Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, University College London, UCL Great Ormond Street, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London WC1N 3JH, UK
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Christopher J Record
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Katherine R Schon
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Rodrigo S S Frezatti
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sharika Raga
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Kireshnee Naidu
- Neurology Research Group, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Özlem Yayıcı Köken
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Ipek Polat
- Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric Neurology Department, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Musambo M Kapapa
- Department of Physiotherapy, University of Zambia School of Health Sciences & University Teaching Hospital Neurology Research Office, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Natalia Dominik
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Stephanie Efthymiou
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Heba Morsy
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Melissa Nel
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Neurology Research Group, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mahmoud R Fassad
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Krutik Patel
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Maryke Schoonen
- Focus Area for Human Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Michelle Bisschoff
- Focus Area for Human Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Armand Vorster
- Focus Area for Human Metabolomics, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Hallgeir Jonvik
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Ronel Human
- Department of Paediatrics, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Elsa Lubbe
- Department of Paediatrics, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Malebo Nonyane
- Department of Paediatrics, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Seena Vengalil
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Saraswati Nashi
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Kosha Srivastava
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Richard J L F Lemmers
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alisha Reyaz
- Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, India
| | - Rinkle Mishra
- Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, India
| | - Ana Töpf
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Newcastle University Translational and Clinical Research Institute and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Christina I Trainor
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Newcastle University Translational and Clinical Research Institute and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Elizabeth C Steyn
- Neurology Research Group, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Amokelani C Mahungu
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Neurology Research Group, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Patrick J van der Vliet
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ahmet Cevdet Ceylan
- Department of Medical Genetics, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Genetics, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - A Semra Hiz
- Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric Neurology Department, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Izmir, Turkey
| | - Büşranur Çavdarlı
- Department of Medical Genetics, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - C Nur Semerci Gündüz
- Department of Medical Genetics, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Genetics, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gülay Güleç Ceylan
- Department of Medical Genetics, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Genetics, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Madhu Nagappa
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Karthik B Tallapaka
- CSIR—Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Periyasamy Govindaraj
- Diagnostics Division, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | | | - Gayathri Narayanappa
- Department of Neuropathology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Bevinahalli N Nandeesh
- Department of Neuropathology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Somwe Wa Somwe
- Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - David R Bearden
- University of Zambia Department of Educational Psychology, Lusaka, Zambia
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Michelle P Kvalsund
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Gita M Ramdharry
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Yavuz Oktay
- Izmir International Biomedicine and Genome Institute, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Izmir, Turkey
| | - Uluç Yiş
- Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric Neurology Department, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey
| | | | - Anna Sarkozy
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Enrico Bugiardini
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Franclo Henning
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jo M Wilmshurst
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jeannine M Heckmann
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Neurology Research Group, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Robert McFarland
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
- NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK
| | - Robert W Taylor
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK
- NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK
| | - Izelle Smuts
- Department of Paediatrics, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | | | - Pedro J Tomaselli
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Wilson Marques
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rohit Bhatia
- Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, India
| | - Ashwin Dalal
- Diagnostics Division, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - M V Padma Srivastava
- Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, India
| | - Sireesha Yareeda
- Department of Neurology, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Atchayaram Nalini
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Venugopalan Y Vishnu
- Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, India
| | - Kumarasamy Thangaraj
- CSIR—Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Volker Straub
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Newcastle University Translational and Clinical Research Institute and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Rita Horvath
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Patrick F Chinnery
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Robert D S Pitceathly
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Francesco Muntoni
- Institute of Child Health and Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, Neurosciences Unit, The Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, University College London, UCL Great Ormond Street, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London WC1N 3JH, UK
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jana Vandrovcova
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Mary M Reilly
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Michael G Hanna
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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15
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Ishmail H, Ngene NC. Terminological use of 'African ancestry' Vis-à-Vis 'black race' in relation to genetically linked healthcare conditions. Case Rep Womens Health 2023; 40:e00567. [PMID: 38162379 PMCID: PMC10757182 DOI: 10.1016/j.crwh.2023.e00567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Habiba Ishmail
- Wits Reproductive Health and HIV institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Nnabuike Chibuoke Ngene
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Leratong Hospital, Krugersdorp, South Africa
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16
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The genetic diversity of Bantu-speaking populations helped to shape African history. Nature 2023:10.1038/d41586-023-03379-7. [PMID: 38030761 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-03379-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
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17
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Tanigawa Y, Kellis M. Power of inclusion: Enhancing polygenic prediction with admixed individuals. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:1888-1902. [PMID: 37890495 PMCID: PMC10645553 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Admixed individuals offer unique opportunities for addressing limited transferability in polygenic scores (PGSs), given the substantial trans-ancestry genetic correlation in many complex traits. However, they are rarely considered in PGS training, given the challenges in representing ancestry-matched linkage-disequilibrium reference panels for admixed individuals. Here we present inclusive PGS (iPGS), which captures ancestry-shared genetic effects by finding the exact solution for penalized regression on individual-level data and is thus naturally applicable to admixed individuals. We validate our approach in a simulation study across 33 configurations with varying heritability, polygenicity, and ancestry composition in the training set. When iPGS is applied to n = 237,055 ancestry-diverse individuals in the UK Biobank, it shows the greatest improvements in Africans by 48.9% on average across 60 quantitative traits and up to 50-fold improvements for some traits (neutrophil count, R2 = 0.058) over the baseline model trained on the same number of European individuals. When we allowed iPGS to use n = 284,661 individuals, we observed an average improvement of 60.8% for African, 11.6% for South Asian, 7.3% for non-British White, 4.8% for White British, and 17.8% for the other individuals. We further developed iPGS+refit to jointly model the ancestry-shared and -dependent genetic effects when heterogeneous genetic associations were present. For neutrophil count, for example, iPGS+refit showed the highest predictive performance in the African group (R2 = 0.115), which exceeds the best predictive performance for the White British group (R2 = 0.090 in the iPGS model), even though only 1.49% of individuals used in the iPGS training are of African ancestry. Our results indicate the power of including diverse individuals for developing more equitable PGS models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Tanigawa
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Manolis Kellis
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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18
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Booyse RP, Twesigomwe D, Hazelhurst S. Characterization of CYP2C19 pharmacogenetic variation in African populations and comparison with other global populations. Pharmacogenomics 2023; 24:845-857. [PMID: 37929326 PMCID: PMC10694788 DOI: 10.2217/pgs-2023-0166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: CYP2C19 is important in the metabolism of clopidogrel and several antidepressants. This study aimed to characterize the distribution of CYP2C19 star alleles (haplotypes) across diverse African populations compared with global populations. Methods: CYP2C19 star alleles and diplotypes were called from high coverage genomes using the StellarPGx pipeline. Results: CYP2C19*1 (51%), *2 (17%) and *17 (22%) were the most common star alleles across African populations in this study. It was observed that 3% of African participants had potentially novel CYP2C19 haplotypes. Conclusion: This study supports the necessity for CYP2C19 pharmacogenetic testing in African and global clinical settings, as well as the importance of comprehensive star allele characterization in the African context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross P Booyse
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service, and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - David Twesigomwe
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service, and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Scott Hazelhurst
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Electrical & Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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19
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Fatumo S, Sathan D, Samtal C, Isewon I, Tamuhla T, Soremekun C, Jafali J, Panji S, Tiffin N, Fakim YJ. Polygenic risk scores for disease risk prediction in Africa: current challenges and future directions. Genome Med 2023; 15:87. [PMID: 37904243 PMCID: PMC10614359 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-023-01245-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Early identification of genetic risk factors for complex diseases can enable timely interventions and prevent serious outcomes, including mortality. While the genetics underlying many Mendelian diseases have been elucidated, it is harder to predict risk for complex diseases arising from the combined effects of many genetic variants with smaller individual effects on disease aetiology. Polygenic risk scores (PRS), which combine multiple contributing variants to predict disease risk, have the potential to influence the implementation for precision medicine. However, the majority of existing PRS were developed from European data with limited transferability to African populations. Notably, African populations have diverse genetic backgrounds, and a genomic architecture with smaller haplotype blocks compared to European genomes. Subsequently, growing evidence shows that using large-scale African ancestry cohorts as discovery for PRS development may generate more generalizable findings. Here, we (1) discuss the factors contributing to the poor transferability of PRS in African populations, (2) showcase the novel Africa genomic datasets for PRS development, (3) explore the potential clinical utility of PRS in African populations, and (4) provide insight into the future of PRS in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Segun Fatumo
- The African Computational Genomics (TACG) Research Group, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM, Entebbe, Uganda.
- H3Africa Bioinformatics Network (H3ABioNet) Node, Centre for Genomics Research and Innovation, NABDA/FMST, Abuja, Nigeria.
- Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology (NCDE), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
| | - Dassen Sathan
- H3Africa Bioinformatics Network (H3ABioNet) Node, University of Mauritius, Reduit, Mauritius
| | - Chaimae Samtal
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Environment, Agri-Food and Health, Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz-Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, 30000, Fez, Morocco
| | - Itunuoluwa Isewon
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Covenant University, P. M. B. 1023, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
- Covenant University Bioinformatics Research (CUBRe), Covenant University, Km 10 Idiroko Road, P.M.B. 1023, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
- Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication African Centre of Excellence (CApIC-ACE), Covenant University, P.M.B. 1023, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
| | - Tsaone Tamuhla
- Division of Computational Biology, Integrative Biomedical Sciences Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - Chisom Soremekun
- The African Computational Genomics (TACG) Research Group, MRC/UVRI and LSHTM, Entebbe, Uganda
- H3Africa Bioinformatics Network (H3ABioNet) Node, Centre for Genomics Research and Innovation, NABDA/FMST, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, College of Health Science, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - James Jafali
- Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Blantyre, Malawi
- Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sumir Panji
- Computational Biology Group, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
| | - Nicki Tiffin
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
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20
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Chen WC, Brandenburg JT, Choudhury A, Hayat M, Sengupta D, Swiel Y, Babb de Villiers C, Ferndale L, Aldous C, Soo CC, Lee S, Curtis C, Newton R, Waterboer T, Sitas F, Bradshaw D, Abnet CC, Ramsay M, Parker MI, Singh E, Lewis CM, Mathew CG. Genome-wide association study of esophageal squamous cell cancer identifies shared and distinct risk variants in African and Chinese populations. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:1690-1703. [PMID: 37673066 PMCID: PMC10577073 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has a high disease burden in sub-Saharan Africa and has a very poor prognosis. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of ESCC in predominantly East Asian populations indicate a substantial genetic contribution to its etiology, but no genome-wide studies have been done in populations of African ancestry. Here, we report a GWAS in 1,686 African individuals with ESCC and 3,217 population-matched control individuals to investigate its genetic etiology. We identified a genome-wide-significant risk locus on chromosome 9 upstream of FAM120A (rs12379660, p = 4.58 × 10-8, odds ratio = 1.28, 95% confidence interval = 1.22-1.34), as well as a potential African-specific risk locus on chromosome 2 (rs142741123, p = 5.49 × 10-8) within MYO1B. FAM120A is a component of oxidative stress-induced survival signals, and the associated variants at the FAM120A locus co-localized with highly significant cis-eQTLs in FAM120AOS in both esophageal mucosa and esophageal muscularis tissue. A trans-ethnic meta-analysis was then performed with the African ESCC study and a Chinese ESCC study in a combined total of 3,699 ESCC-affected individuals and 5,918 control individuals, which identified three genome-wide-significant loci on chromosome 9 at FAM120A (rs12379660, pmeta = 9.36 × 10-10), chromosome 10 at PLCE1 (rs7099485, pmeta = 1.48 × 10-8), and chromosome 22 at CHEK2 (rs1033667, pmeta = 1.47 × 10-9). This indicates the existence of both shared and distinct genetic risk loci for ESCC in African and Asian populations. Our GWAS of ESCC conducted in a population of African ancestry indicates a substantial genetic contribution to ESCC risk in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlong Carl Chen
- National Cancer Registry, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2131, South Africa; Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa; Strengthening Oncology Services Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa; Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa
| | - Jean-Tristan Brandenburg
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Ananyo Choudhury
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Mahtaab Hayat
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa; Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa
| | - Dhriti Sengupta
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Yaniv Swiel
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa; School of Electrical & Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa
| | - Chantal Babb de Villiers
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa
| | - Lucien Ferndale
- Department of Surgery, Grey's Hospital, Pietermaritzburg 3200, South Africa; College of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4013, South Africa
| | - Colleen Aldous
- College of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4013, South Africa
| | - Cassandra C Soo
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Sang Lee
- Social, Genetic and Development Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, SE5 8AF London, UK; NIHR BioResource Centre Maudsley, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King's College London, SE5 8AF London, UK
| | - Charles Curtis
- Social, Genetic and Development Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, SE5 8AF London, UK; NIHR BioResource Centre Maudsley, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King's College London, SE5 8AF London, UK
| | - Rob Newton
- MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda; University of York, YO10 5DD York, UK
| | - Tim Waterboer
- Infections and Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Freddy Sitas
- Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town 7505, South Africa; Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, School of Population, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; Menzies Centre of Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Debbie Bradshaw
- Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| | - Christian C Abnet
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michele Ramsay
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - M Iqbal Parker
- Division of Medical Biochemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
| | - Elvira Singh
- National Cancer Registry, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2131, South Africa; School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Cathryn M Lewis
- Social, Genetic and Development Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, SE5 8AF London, UK; Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, SE1 9RT London, UK
| | - Christopher G Mathew
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa; Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa; Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, SE1 9RT London, UK.
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21
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Martinez S, Jones JD. A pilot study examining the relationship between chronic heroin use and telomere length among individuals of African ancestry. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2023; 231:173631. [PMID: 37689117 PMCID: PMC10545475 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2023.173631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior research has suggested a possible link between heroin use and shortened telomere length (TL), a marker of cellular aging and genomic stability. We sought to replicate these findings by examining the relationship between TL and heroin use among individuals of African ancestry. METHODS This cross-sectional study examined TL among 57 participants [17.5 % female; mean age 48.0 (±6.80) years] of African ancestry with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and a mean heroin use duration of 18.2 (±10.7) years. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to calculate TL as the ratio between telomere repeat copy number (T) and a single-copy gene, copy number (S). The primary dependent variable was TL (T/S Ratio) measured in kilobase pairs. Covariates included heroin use years and personality traits. Using a hybrid approach, multiple linear regression and Bayesian linear regression examined the association of chronological age, heroin use years and personality traits with TL. RESULTS The multiple linear regression model fit the data well, R2 = 0.265, F(7,49) = 2.53, p < .026. Chronological age (β = -0.36, p = .017), neuroticism (β = 0.46, p = .044), and conscientiousness (β = 0.52, p = .040) were significant predictors of TL. Bayesian linear regression provided moderate support for the alternate hypothesis that chronological age and TL are associated, BF10 = 5.77, R2 = 0.120. The posterior summary of the coefficient was M = 0.719 (SD = 0.278, 95 % credible interval [-1.28, -0.163]). CONCLUSIONS Contrary to prior studies, these findings suggest that heroin use duration may not be significantly associated with TL among individuals of African ancestry, highlighting the need for more rigorous research to elucidate the complexity of this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suky Martinez
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Jermaine D Jones
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
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22
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Madole JW, Harden KP. Causal complexity in human research: On the shared challenges of behavior genetics, medical genetics, and environmentally oriented social science. Behav Brain Sci 2023; 46:e206. [PMID: 37694936 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23000833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
We received 23 spirited commentaries on our target article from across the disciplines of philosophy, economics, evolutionary genetics, molecular biology, criminology, epidemiology, and law. We organize our reply around three overarching questions: (1) What is a cause? (2) How are randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and within-family genome-wide association studies (GWASs) alike and unalike? (3) Is behavior genetics a qualitatively different enterprise? Throughout our discussion of these questions, we advocate for the idea that behavior genetics shares many of the same pitfalls and promises as environmentally oriented research, medical genetics, and other arenas of the social and behavioral sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Madole
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - K Paige Harden
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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23
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Montano MA. Emerging Life Sciences Series: Q & A with the Editor: Genetics and Metabolism. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2300160. [PMID: 37697709 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
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24
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Cruz LA, Cooke Bailey JN, Crawford DC. Importance of Diversity in Precision Medicine: Generalizability of Genetic Associations Across Ancestry Groups Toward Better Identification of Disease Susceptibility Variants. Annu Rev Biomed Data Sci 2023; 6:339-356. [PMID: 37196357 PMCID: PMC10720270 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biodatasci-122220-113250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) revolutionized our understanding of common genetic variation and its impact on common human disease and traits. Developed and adopted in the mid-2000s, GWAS led to searchable genotype-phenotype catalogs and genome-wide datasets available for further data mining and analysis for the eventual development of translational applications. The GWAS revolution was swift and specific, including almost exclusively populations of European descent, to the neglect of the majority of the world's genetic diversity. In this narrative review, we recount the GWAS landscape of the early years that established a genotype-phenotype catalog that is now universally understood to be inadequate for a complete understanding of complex human genetics. We then describe approaches taken to augment the genotype-phenotype catalog, including the study populations, collaborative consortia, and study design approaches aimed to generalize and then ultimately discover genome-wide associations in non-European descent populations. The collaborations and data resources established in the efforts to diversify genomic findings undoubtedly provide the foundations of the next chapters of genetic association studies with the advent of budget-friendly whole-genome sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Cruz
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA;
- Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jessica N Cooke Bailey
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA;
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Dana C Crawford
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA;
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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25
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Ssebunnya GM. Towards an appropriate African framework for public engagement with human genome editing: a call to synergistic action. Wellcome Open Res 2023; 7:302. [PMID: 37485292 PMCID: PMC10359742 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18579.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas9 system has revolutionised the biotechnology of human genome editing. Human germline gene editing promises exponential benefits to many in Africa and elsewhere, especially those affected by the highly prevalent monogenic disorders - for which, thanks to CRISPR, a relatively safe heritable radical therapy is a real possibility. Africa evidently presents a unique opportunity for empirical research in human germline gene editing because of its high prevalence of monogenic disorders. Critically, however, germline gene editing has raised serious ethical concerns especially because of the significant risks of inadvertent and intentional misuse of its transgenerational heritability. Calls for due prudence have become even more pronounced in the wake of the 2018 case of He Jiankui's 'CRISPR'd babies'. Meanwhile, Africa is seriously lagging in articulating its position on human genome editing. Conspicuously, there has been little to no attempt at comprehensively engaging the African public in discussions on the promises and concerns about human genome editing. Thus, the echoing key question remains as to how Africa should prudently embrace and govern this revolutionary biotechnology. In this article, therefore, I lay the groundwork for the possible development of an appropriate African framework for public engagement with human genome editing and call upon all stakeholders to urgent synergistic action. I particularly highlight the World Health Organisation's possible leadership role in promptly establishing the requisite expert working group for this urgent need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Michael Ssebunnya
- Padre Pio Medical Centre, Gaborone, Botswana
- Africa Institute for Human Dignity, Gaborone, Botswana
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26
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Soo CC, Brandenburg JT, Nebel A, Tollman S, Berkman L, Ramsay M, Choudhury A. Genome-wide association study of population-standardised cognitive performance phenotypes in a rural South African community. Commun Biol 2023; 6:328. [PMID: 36973338 PMCID: PMC10043003 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04636-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive function is an indicator for global physical and mental health, and cognitive impairment has been associated with poorer life outcomes and earlier mortality. A standard cognition test, adapted to a rural-dwelling African community, and the Oxford Cognition Screen-Plus were used to capture cognitive performance as five continuous traits (total cognition score, verbal episodic memory, executive function, language, and visuospatial ability) for 2,246 adults in this population of South Africans. A novel common variant, rs73485231, reached genome-wide significance for association with episodic memory using data for ~14 million markers imputed from the H3Africa genotyping array data. Window-based replication of previously implicated variants and regions of interest support the discovery of African-specific associated variants despite the small population size and low allele frequency. This African genome-wide association study identifies suggestive associations with general cognition and domain-specific cognitive pathways and lays the groundwork for further genomic studies on cognition in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra C Soo
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Jean-Tristan Brandenburg
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Almut Nebel
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, 24105, Kiel, Germany
| | - Stephen Tollman
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Lisa Berkman
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michèle Ramsay
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ananyo Choudhury
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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27
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Černý V, Priehodová E, Fortes-Lima C. A Population Genetic Perspective on Subsistence Systems in the Sahel/Savannah Belt of Africa and the Historical Role of Pastoralism. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030758. [PMID: 36981029 PMCID: PMC10048103 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This review focuses on the Sahel/Savannah belt, a large region of Africa where two alternative subsistence systems (pastoralism and agriculture), nowadays, interact. It is a long-standing question whether the pastoralists became isolated here from other populations after cattle began to spread into Africa (~8 thousand years ago, kya) or, rather, began to merge with other populations, such as agropastoralists, after the domestication of sorghum and pearl millet (~5 kya) and with the subsequent spread of agriculture. If we look at lactase persistence, a trait closely associated with pastoral lifestyle, we see that its variants in current pastoralists distinguish them from their farmer neighbours. Most other (mostly neutral) genetic polymorphisms do not, however, indicate such clear differentiation between these groups; they suggest a common origin and/or an extensive gene flow. Genetic affinity and ecological symbiosis between the two subsistence systems can help us better understand the population history of this African region. In this review, we show that genomic datasets of modern Sahel/Savannah belt populations properly collected in local populations can complement the still insufficient archaeological research of this region, especially when dealing with the prehistory of mobile populations with perishable material culture and therefore precarious archaeological visibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Černý
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Letenská 1, 118 01 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Edita Priehodová
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Letenská 1, 118 01 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Cesar Fortes-Lima
- Human Evolution, Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18C, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
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Ancestry, diversity, and genetics of health-related traits in African-derived communities (quilombos) from Brazil. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:74. [PMID: 36867305 PMCID: PMC9982798 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-00999-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Brazilian quilombos are communities formed by enslaved Africans and their descendants all over the country during slavery and shortly after its abolition. Quilombos harbor a great fraction of the largely unknown genetic diversity of the African diaspora in Brazil. Thus, genetic studies in quilombos have the potential to provide important insights not only into the African roots of the Brazilian population but also into the genetic bases of complex traits and human adaptation to diverse environments. This review summarizes the main results of genetic studies performed on quilombos so far. Here, we analyzed the patterns of African, Amerindian, European, and subcontinental ancestry (within Africa) of quilombos from the five different geographic regions of Brazil. In addition, uniparental markers (from the mtDNA and the Y chromosome) studies are analyzed together to reveal demographic processes and sex-biased admixture that occurred during the formation of these unique populations. Lastly, the prevalence of known malaria-adaptive African mutations and other African-specific variants discovered in quilombos, as well as the genetic bases of health-related traits, are discussed here, together with their implication for the health of populations of African descent.
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Wu AM, Shen LQ. Racial Disparities Affecting Black Patients in Glaucoma Diagnosis and Management. Semin Ophthalmol 2023:1-11. [PMID: 36662128 DOI: 10.1080/08820538.2023.2168489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Black patients are more affected by glaucoma and suffer from more advanced disease. Diagnostic challenges among black patients with glaucoma include lower rates of diagnostic testing and thinner average central corneal thickness, the latter of which affects intraocular pressure measurement. Treatment challenges include poor follow-up, medication adherence, and trust in providers. Black patients undergoing trabeculectomy have higher rates of failure compared to white patients. Race is not a definitive factor affecting success for tube shunts, laser trabeculoplasty, cyclophotocoagulation, and micro-invasive glaucoma surgeries, but the body of evidence is limited by low inclusion of black patients in these studies. Future steps should include increased attention toward improving trust between patients and providers, improving access to care, and increased representation of black patients in glaucoma research to better understand factors affecting racial disparities in glaucoma management and outcomes in this population disproportionately affected by the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie M Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Glaucoma Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lucy Q Shen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Glaucoma Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, United States
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31
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Wu AM, Shen LQ. Racial Disparities Affecting Black Patients In Glaucoma Diagnosis And Management. Semin Ophthalmol 2023; 38:65-75. [PMID: 36453915 DOI: 10.1080/08820538.2022.2152702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Black patients are more affected by glaucoma and suffer from more advanced disease. Diagnostic challenges among black patients with glaucoma include lower rates of diagnostic testing and thinner average central corneal thickness, the latter of which affects intraocular pressure measurement. Treatment challenges include poor follow-up, medication adherence, and trust in providers. Black patients undergoing trabeculectomy have higher rates of failure compared to white patients. Race is not a definitive factor affecting success for tube shunts, laser trabeculoplasty, cyclophotocoagulation, and micro-invasive glaucoma surgeries, but the body of evidence is limited by low inclusion of black patients in these studies. Future steps should include increased attention toward improving trust between patients and providers, improving access to care, and increased representation of black patients in glaucoma research to better understand factors affecting racial disparities in glaucoma management and outcomes in this population disproportionately affected by the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie M Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Glaucoma Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lucy Q Shen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Glaucoma Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, United States
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Sun T, Cruz GI, Mousavi N, Marić I, Brewer A, Wong RJ, Aghaeepour N, Sayed N, Wu JC, Stevenson DK, Leonard SA, Gymrek M, Winn VD. HMOX1 Genetic Polymorphisms Display Ancestral Diversity and May Be Linked to Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy. Reprod Sci 2022; 29:3465-3476. [PMID: 35697922 PMCID: PMC9734242 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-01001-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Racial disparity exists for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP), which leads to disparate morbidity and mortality worldwide. The enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is encoded by HMOX1, which has genetic polymorphisms in its regulatory region that impact its expression and activity and have been associated with various diseases. However, studies of these genetic variants in HDP have been limited. The objective of this study was to examine HMOX1 as a potential genetic contributor of ancestral disparity seen in HDP. First, the 1000 Genomes Project (1 KG) phase 3 was utilized to compare the frequencies of alleles, genotypes, and estimated haplotypes of guanidine thymidine repeats (GTn; containing rs3074372) and A/T SNP (rs2071746) among females from five ancestral populations (Africa, the Americas, Europe, East Asia, and South Asia, N = 1271). Then, using genomic DNA from women with a history of HDP, we explored the possibility of HMOX1 variants predisposing women to HDP (N = 178) compared with an equivalent ancestral group from 1 KG (N = 263). Both HMOX1 variants were distributed differently across ancestries, with African women having a distinct distribution and an overall higher prevalence of the variants previously associated with lower HO-1 expression. The two HMOX1 variants display linkage disequilibrium in all but the African group, and within EUR cohort, LL and AA individuals have a higher prevalence in HDP. HMOX1 variants demonstrate ancestral differences that may contribute to racial disparity in HDP. Understanding maternal genetic contribution to HDP will help improve prediction and facilitate personalized approaches to care for HDP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyanxin Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Giovanna I Cruz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nima Mousavi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ivana Marić
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alina Brewer
- Preeclampsia Foundation, Juneau Biosciences, LLC, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Ronald J Wong
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nima Aghaeepour
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nazish Sayed
- Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joseph C Wu
- Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - David K Stevenson
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie A Leonard
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Melissa Gymrek
- Department of Medicine, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Virginia D Winn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Goedecke JH, Mendham AE. Pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africans. Diabetologia 2022; 65:1967-1980. [PMID: 36166072 PMCID: PMC9630207 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-022-05795-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the region with the highest projected rates of increase in type 2 diabetes (129% by 2045), which will exacerbate the already high prevalence of type 2 diabetes complications and comorbidities in SSA. In addition, SSA is grappling with poverty-related health problems and infectious diseases and is also undergoing the most rapid rates of urbanisation globally. These socioenvironmental and lifestyle factors may interact with genetic factors to alter the pathophysiological sequence leading to type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan African populations. Indeed, current evidence from SSA and the diaspora suggests that the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes in Black Africans is different from that in their European counterparts. Studies from the diaspora suggest that insulin clearance is the primary defect underlying the development of type 2 diabetes. We propose that, among Black Africans from SSA, hyperinsulinaemia due to a combination of both increased insulin secretion and reduced hepatic insulin clearance is the primary defect, which promotes obesity and insulin resistance, exacerbating the hyperinsulinaemia and eventually leading to beta cell failure and type 2 diabetes. Nonetheless, the current understanding of the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and the clinical guidelines for preventing and managing the disease are largely based on studies including participants of predominately White European ancestry. In this review, we summarise the existing knowledge base and data from the only non-pharmacological intervention that explores the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes in SSA. We also highlight factors that may influence the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes in SSA, such as social determinants, infectious diseases and genetic and epigenetic influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia H Goedecke
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Platform and Non-Communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
- South African Medical Research Council/WITS Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport Research Centre (HPALS), FIMS International Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine, Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Amy E Mendham
- South African Medical Research Council/WITS Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit (DPHRU), Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport Research Centre (HPALS), FIMS International Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine, Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Ferreira JC, Alshamali F, Pereira L, Fernandes V. Characterization of Arabian Peninsula whole exomes: Contributing to the catalogue of human diversity. iScience 2022; 25:105336. [DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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Sudi SM, Kabbashi S, Roomaney IA, Aborass M, Chetty M. The genetic determinants of oral diseases in Africa: The gaps should be filled. FRONTIERS IN ORAL HEALTH 2022; 3:1017276. [PMID: 36304994 PMCID: PMC9593064 DOI: 10.3389/froh.2022.1017276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral diseases are a major health concern and are among the most prevalent diseases globally. This problem is becoming more prominent in the rapidly growing populations of Africa. It is well documented that Africa exhibits the most diverse genetic make-up in the world. However, little work has been conducted to understand the genetic basis of oral diseases in Africans. Oral health is often neglected and receives low prioritisation from funders and governments. The genetic determinants of highly prevalent oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontal disease, and regionally prevalent conditions such as oral cancer and NOMA, are largely under-researched areas despite numerous articles alluding to a high burden of these diseases in African populations. Therefore, this review aims to shed light on the significant gaps in research on the genetic and genomic aspects of oral diseases in African populations and highlights the urgent need for evidence-based dentistry, in tandem with the development of the dentist/scientist workforce.
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Coronavirus Host Genomics Study: South Africa (COVIGen-SA). GLOBAL HEALTH 2022; 2022:7405349. [PMID: 36263375 PMCID: PMC9560830 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7405349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Host genetic factors are known to modify the susceptibility, severity, and outcomes of COVID-19 and vary across populations. However, continental Africans are yet to be adequately represented in such studies despite the importance of genetic factors in understanding Africa's response to the pandemic. We describe the development of a research resource for coronavirus host genomics studies in South Africa known as COVIGen-SA-a multicollaborator strategic partnership designed to provide harmonised demographic, clinical, and genetic information specific to Black South Africans with COVID-19. Over 2,000 participants have been recruited to date. Preliminary results on 1,354 SARS-CoV-2 positive participants from four participating studies showed that 64.7% were female, 333 had severe disease, and 329 were people living with HIV. Through this resource, we aim to provide insights into host genetic factors relevant to African-ancestry populations, using both genome-wide association testing and targeted sequencing of important genomic loci. This project will promote and enhance partnerships, build skills, and develop resources needed to address the COVID-19 burden and associated risk factors in South African communities.
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Nsubuga G, Kateete DP, Aloyo SM, Kigingi LN, Emmanuel N, Dafala K, Ntayi ML, Joloba ML, Rogers K. Biobanking in East and Central Africa: A case of the Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda. OPEN RESEARCH AFRICA 2022; 5:33. [PMID: 37224314 PMCID: PMC10175960 DOI: 10.12688/openresafrica.13495.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Biorepositories are essential because they guarantee the proper storage and distribution of biospecimens and their associated data for current and future research. In Eastern and Central Africa, the Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda (IBRH3AU) at Makerere University in Uganda was the first of its kind. It is strategically located at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, which is home to some of Uganda's most relevant and impactful infectious and non-infectious disease research. Since its inception as a pilot project in 2012, the IBRH3AU biorepository has grown into a state-of-the-art facility serving the H3Africa consortium and the rest of the scientific community. IBRH3AU has built a solid infrastructure over the past ten years with cutting-edge methods and technologies for the collection, processing, quality control, handling, management, storage and shipment of biospecimens. H3Africa researchers, local researchers, postgraduate and postdoctoral students, and the greater scientific community in Eastern and Central Africa and beyond have benefited from IBRH3AU's exceptional biobanking services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gideon Nsubuga
- Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
| | - David Patrick Kateete
- Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
| | - Sharley Melissa Aloyo
- Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
| | - Lwanga Newton Kigingi
- Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
| | - Nasinghe Emmanuel
- Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
| | - Kezimbira Dafala
- Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
| | - Moses Levi Ntayi
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
| | - Moses L Joloba
- Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
| | - Kamulegeya Rogers
- Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, P.O. BOX 7072, Uganda
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Kim MS, Naidoo D, Hazra U, Quiver MH, Chen WC, Simonti CN, Kachambwa P, Harlemon M, Agalliu I, Baichoo S, Fernandez P, Hsing AW, Jalloh M, Gueye SM, Niang L, Diop H, Ndoye M, Snyper NY, Adusei B, Mensah JE, Abrahams AOD, Biritwum R, Adjei AA, Adebiyi AO, Shittu O, Ogunbiyi O, Adebayo S, Aisuodionoe-Shadrach OI, Nwegbu MM, Ajibola HO, Oluwole OP, Jamda MA, Singh E, Pentz A, Joffe M, Darst BF, Conti DV, Haiman CA, Spies PV, van der Merwe A, Rohan TE, Jacobson J, Neugut AI, McBride J, Andrews C, Petersen LN, Rebbeck TR, Lachance J. Testing the generalizability of ancestry-specific polygenic risk scores to predict prostate cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. Genome Biol 2022; 23:194. [PMID: 36100952 PMCID: PMC9472407 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02766-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome-wide association studies do not always replicate well across populations, limiting the generalizability of polygenic risk scores (PRS). Despite higher incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer in men of African descent, much of what is known about cancer genetics comes from populations of European descent. To understand how well genetic predictions perform in different populations, we evaluated test characteristics of PRS from three previous studies using data from the UK Biobank and a novel dataset of 1298 prostate cancer cases and 1333 controls from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa. RESULTS Allele frequency differences cause predicted risks of prostate cancer to vary across populations. However, natural selection is not the primary driver of these differences. Comparing continental datasets, we find that polygenic predictions of case vs. control status are more effective for European individuals (AUC 0.608-0.707, OR 2.37-5.71) than for African individuals (AUC 0.502-0.585, OR 0.95-2.01). Furthermore, PRS that leverage information from African Americans yield modest AUC and odds ratio improvements for sub-Saharan African individuals. These improvements were larger for West Africans than for South Africans. Finally, we find that existing PRS are largely unable to predict whether African individuals develop aggressive forms of prostate cancer, as specified by higher tumor stages or Gleason scores. CONCLUSIONS Genetic predictions of prostate cancer perform poorly if the study sample does not match the ancestry of the original GWAS. PRS built from European GWAS may be inadequate for application in non-European populations and perpetuate existing health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle S Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Daphne Naidoo
- Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ujani Hazra
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Melanie H Quiver
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Wenlong C Chen
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,National Cancer Registry, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Corinne N Simonti
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | | | - Maxine Harlemon
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Ilir Agalliu
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | | | - Pedro Fernandez
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ann W Hsing
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Lamine Niang
- Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Medina Ndoye
- Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | | | - James E Mensah
- Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana
| | - Afua O D Abrahams
- Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana
| | - Richard Biritwum
- Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana
| | - Andrew A Adjei
- Department of Pathology, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana
| | | | | | | | - Sikiru Adebayo
- College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | - Maxwell M Nwegbu
- College of Health Sciences, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Hafees O Ajibola
- College of Health Sciences, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Olabode P Oluwole
- College of Health Sciences, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Mustapha A Jamda
- College of Health Sciences, University of Abuja and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Elvira Singh
- National Cancer Registry, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Audrey Pentz
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Division, Wits Health Consortium (PTY) Ltd, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Maureen Joffe
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Division, Wits Health Consortium (PTY) Ltd, Johannesburg, South Africa.,MRC Developmental Pathways to Health Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Burcu F Darst
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David V Conti
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christopher A Haiman
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Petrus V Spies
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - André van der Merwe
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Thomas E Rohan
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Judith Jacobson
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alfred I Neugut
- Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jo McBride
- Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Timothy R Rebbeck
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph Lachance
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
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Rosenquist R, Cuppen E, Buettner R, Caldas C, Dreau H, Elemento O, Frederix G, Grimmond S, Haferlach T, Jobanputra V, Meggendorfer M, Mullighan CG, Wordsworth S, Schuh A. Clinical utility of whole-genome sequencing in precision oncology. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 84:32-39. [PMID: 34175442 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Precision diagnostics is one of the two pillars of precision medicine. Sequencing efforts in the past decade have firmly established cancer as a primarily genetically driven disease. This concept is supported by therapeutic successes aimed at particular pathways that are perturbed by specific driver mutations in protein-coding domains and reflected in three recent FDA tissue agnostic cancer drug approvals. In addition, there is increasing evidence from studies that interrogate the entire genome by whole-genome sequencing that acquired global and complex genomic aberrations including those in non-coding regions of the genome might also reflect clinical outcome. After addressing technical, logistical, financial and ethical challenges, national initiatives now aim to introduce clinical whole-genome sequencing into real-world diagnostics as a rational and potentially cost-effective tool for response prediction in cancer and to identify patients who would benefit most from 'expensive' targeted therapies and recruitment into clinical trials. However, so far, this has not been accompanied by a systematic and prospective evaluation of the clinical utility of whole-genome sequencing within clinical trials of uniformly treated patients of defined clinical outcome. This approach would also greatly facilitate novel predictive biomarker discovery and validation, ultimately reducing size and duration of clinical trials and cost of drug development. This manuscript is the third in a series of three to review and critically appraise the potential and challenges of clinical whole-genome sequencing in solid tumors and hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Rosenquist
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Clinical Genetics, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
| | - Edwin Cuppen
- Hartwig Medical Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Center for Molecular Medicine and Oncode Institute, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Carlos Caldas
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Helene Dreau
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre and Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Olivier Elemento
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States; Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, United States
| | - Geert Frederix
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sean Grimmond
- Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Vaidehi Jobanputra
- New York Genome Center, 101 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 100132, United States; Columbia University Medical Center, 650 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032, United States
| | | | - Charles G Mullighan
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, United States
| | - Sarah Wordsworth
- Nuffield Department of Population Health and Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Schuh
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre and Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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Emerging digital PCR technology in precision medicine. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 211:114344. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Pharmacogenetics of Cardiovascular Prevention in Diabetes: From Precision Medicine to Identification of Novel Targets. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12091402. [PMID: 36143187 PMCID: PMC9504677 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12091402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Pharmacogenetics—a branch of precision medicine—holds the promise of becoming a novel tool to reduce the social and healthcare burdens of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetes. The improvement in cardiovascular risk stratification resulting from adding genetic characteristics to clinical data has moved from the modest results obtained with genetic risk scores based on few genetic variants, to the progressively better performances of polygenic risk scores based on hundreds to millions of variants (CAD-PGRS). Similarly, over the past few years, the number of studies investigating the use of CAD-PGRS to identify different responses to cardio-preventive treatment has progressively increased, yielding striking results for lipid-lowering drugs such as proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors and statins. The use of CAD-PGRS to stratify patients based on their likely response to diabetes-specific interventions has been less successful, but promising results have been obtained with regard to specific genetic variants modulating the effects of interventions such as intensive glycemic control and fenofibrate. The finding of diabetes-specific CAD-loci, such as GLUL, has also led to the identification of promising new targets that might hopefully result in the development of specific therapies to reduce CVD burden in patients with diabetes. As reported in consensus statements from international diabetes societies, some of these pharmacogenetic approaches are expected to be introduced in clinical practice over the next decade. For this to happen, in addition to continuing to improve and validate these tools, it will be necessary to educate physicians and patients about the opportunities and limits of pharmacogenetics, as summarized in this review.
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Clinicians' Perceptions towards Precision Medicine Tools for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Stratification in South Africa. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12091360. [PMID: 36143145 PMCID: PMC9505828 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12091360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in South Africa. Risk stratification is the preferred approach to disease prevention, but identifying patients at high risk for CVD remains challenging. Assessing genetic risk could improve stratification and inform a clinically relevant precision medicine (PM) approach. Clinicians are critical to PM adoption, thus, this study explores practicing clinicians’ perceptions of PM-based CVD risk stratification in South Africa’s public health setting. Practicing clinicians (n = 109) at four teaching hospitals in Johannesburg, South Africa, completed an electronic self-administered survey. The effect of demographic and professional characteristics on PM-based CVD risk stratification perceptions was assessed. Fewer than 25% of respondents used clinical genetic testing, and 14% had formal genetics training. 78% had a low mean knowledge score, with higher scores associated with genetic training (p < 0.0005) and research involvement (p < 0.05). Despite limited knowledge and resources, 84% perceived PM approaches positively. 57% felt confident in applying the PM-based approach, with those already undertaking CVD risk stratification more confident (p < 0.001). High cost and limited access to genetics services are key barriers. Integrating genetic information into established clinical tools will likely increase confidence in using PM approaches. Addressing the genetics training gap and investment into the country’s genomics capacity is needed to advance PM in South Africa.
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Marczyk M, Qing T, O'Meara T, Yagahoobi V, Pelekanou V, Bai Y, Reisenbichler E, Cole KS, Li X, Gunasekharan V, Ibrahim E, Fanucci K, Wei W, Rimm DL, Pusztai L, Blenman KRM. Tumor immune microenvironment of self-identified African American and non-African American triple negative breast cancer. NPJ Breast Cancer 2022; 8:88. [PMID: 35869114 PMCID: PMC9307813 DOI: 10.1038/s41523-022-00449-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in the tumor immune microenvironment may result in differences in prognosis and response to treatment in cancer patients. We hypothesized that differences in the tumor immune microenvironment may exist between African American (AA) and NonAA patients, due to ancestry-related or socioeconomic factors, that may partially explain differences in clinical outcomes. We analyzed clinically matched triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) tissues from self-identified AA and NonAA patients and found that stromal TILs, PD-L1 IHC-positivity, mRNA expression of immune-related pathways, and immunotherapy response predictive signatures were significantly higher in AA samples (p < 0.05; Fisher's Exact Test, Mann-Whitney Test, Permutation Test). Cancer biology and metabolism pathways, TAM-M2, and Immune Exclusion were significantly higher in NonAA samples (p < 0.05; Permutation Test, Mann-Whitney Test). There were no differences in somatic tumor mutation burden. Overall, there is greater immune infiltration and inflammation in AA TNBC and these differences may impact response to immune checkpoint inhibitors and other therapeutic agents that modulate the immune microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Marczyk
- Department of Data Science and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tao Qing
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tess O'Meara
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Vesal Yagahoobi
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Vasiliki Pelekanou
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Precision Medicine - Oncology, Translational Medical Oncology, Translational Medicine Early Development, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yalai Bai
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Kimberly S Cole
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Sema4 Genomics, Branford, CT, USA
| | - Xiaotong Li
- Department of Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Vignesh Gunasekharan
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Eiman Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Wei Wei
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - David L Rimm
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lajos Pusztai
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Kim R M Blenman
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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African mitochondrial haplogroup L7: a 100,000-year-old maternal human lineage discovered through reassessment and new sequencing. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10747. [PMID: 35750688 PMCID: PMC9232647 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13856-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Archaeological and genomic evidence suggest that modern Homo sapiens have roamed the planet for some 300–500 thousand years. In contrast, global human mitochondrial (mtDNA) diversity coalesces to one African female ancestor (“Mitochondrial Eve”) some 145 thousand years ago, owing to the ¼ gene pool size of our matrilineally inherited haploid genome. Therefore, most of human prehistory was spent in Africa where early ancestors of Southern African Khoisan and Central African rainforest hunter-gatherers (RFHGs) segregated into smaller groups. Their subdivisions followed climatic oscillations, new modes of subsistence, local adaptations, and cultural-linguistic differences, all prior to their exodus out of Africa. Seven African mtDNA haplogroups (L0–L6) traditionally captured this ancient structure—these L haplogroups have formed the backbone of the mtDNA tree for nearly two decades. Here we describe L7, an eighth haplogroup that we estimate to be ~ 100 thousand years old and which has been previously misclassified in the literature. In addition, L7 has a phylogenetic sublineage L7a*, the oldest singleton branch in the human mtDNA tree (~ 80 thousand years). We found that L7 and its sister group L5 are both low-frequency relics centered around East Africa, but in different populations (L7: Sandawe; L5: Mbuti). Although three small subclades of African foragers hint at the population origins of L5'7, the majority of subclades are divided into Afro-Asiatic and eastern Bantu groups, indicative of more recent admixture. A regular re-estimation of the entire mtDNA haplotype tree is needed to ensure correct cladistic placement of new samples in the future.
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Enrichment analyses identify shared associations for 25 quantitative traits in over 600,000 individuals from seven diverse ancestries. Am J Hum Genet 2022; 109:871-884. [PMID: 35349783 PMCID: PMC9118115 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Since 2005, genome-wide association (GWA) datasets have been largely biased toward sampling European ancestry individuals, and recent studies have shown that GWA results estimated from self-identified European individuals are not transferable to non-European individuals because of various confounding challenges. Here, we demonstrate that enrichment analyses that aggregate SNP-level association statistics at multiple genomic scales-from genes to genomic regions and pathways-have been underutilized in the GWA era and can generate biologically interpretable hypotheses regarding the genetic basis of complex trait architecture. We illustrate examples of the robust associations generated by enrichment analyses while studying 25 continuous traits assayed in 566,786 individuals from seven diverse self-identified human ancestries in the UK Biobank and the Biobank Japan as well as 44,348 admixed individuals from the PAGE consortium including cohorts of African American, Hispanic and Latin American, Native Hawaiian, and American Indian/Alaska Native individuals. We identify 1,000 gene-level associations that are genome-wide significant in at least two ancestry cohorts across these 25 traits as well as highly conserved pathway associations with triglyceride levels in European, East Asian, and Native Hawaiian cohorts.
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Abstract
Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide and a complex, heterogeneous condition. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on monogenic and multifactorial forms of stroke, highlighting recent insight into the continuum between these. We describe how, in recent years, large-scale genome-wide association studies have enabled major progress in deciphering the genetic basis for stroke and its subtypes, although more research is needed to interpret these findings. We cover the potential of stroke genetics to reveal novel pathophysiological processes underlying stroke, to accelerate the discovery of new therapeutic approaches, and to identify individuals in the population who are at high risk of stroke and could be targeted for tailored preventative interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Debette
- Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, Inserm U1219, University of Bordeaux, France (S.D.).,Department of Neurology, Bordeaux University Hospital, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, France (S.D.)
| | - Hugh S Markus
- Stroke Research Group, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (H.S.M.)
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Schultz LM, Merikangas AK, Ruparel K, Jacquemont S, Glahn DC, Gur RE, Barzilay R, Almasy L. Stability of polygenic scores across discovery genome-wide association studies. HGG ADVANCES 2022; 3:100091. [PMID: 35199043 PMCID: PMC8841810 DOI: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2022.100091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Polygenic scores (PGS) are commonly evaluated in terms of their predictive accuracy at the population level by the proportion of phenotypic variance they explain. To be useful for precision medicine applications, they also need to be evaluated at the individual level when phenotypes are not necessarily already known. We investigated the stability of PGS in European American (EUR) and African American (AFR)-ancestry individuals from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort and the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study using different discovery genome-wide association study (GWAS) results for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and height. We found that pairs of EUR-ancestry GWAS for the same trait had genetic correlations >0.92. However, PGS calculated from pairs of same-ancestry and different-ancestry GWAS had correlations that ranged from <0.01 to 0.74. PGS stability was greater for height than for PTSD or T2D. A series of height GWAS in the UK Biobank suggested that correlation between PGS is strongly dependent on the extent of sample overlap between the discovery GWAS. Focusing on the upper end of the PGS distribution, different discovery GWAS do not consistently identify the same individuals in the upper quantiles, with the best case being 60% of individuals above the 80th percentile of PGS overlapping from one height GWAS to another. The degree of overlap decreases sharply as higher quantiles, less heritable traits, and different-ancestry GWAS are considered. PGS computed from different discovery GWAS have only modest correlation at the individual level, underscoring the need to proceed cautiously with integrating PGS into precision medicine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Schultz
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Corresponding author
| | - Alison K. Merikangas
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kosha Ruparel
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sébastien Jacquemont
- UHC Sainte-Justine Research Center, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - David C. Glahn
- Tommy Fuss Center for Neuropsychiatric Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Raquel E. Gur
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Child Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ran Barzilay
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Child Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Laura Almasy
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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49
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Circum-Saharan Prehistory through the Lens of mtDNA Diversity. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13030533. [PMID: 35328086 PMCID: PMC8951852 DOI: 10.3390/genes13030533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
African history has been significantly influenced by the Sahara, which has represented a barrier for migrations of all living beings, including humans. Major exceptions were the gene flow events that took place between North African and sub-Saharan populations during the so-called African Humid Periods, especially in the Early Holocene (11.5 to 5.5 thousand years ago), and more recently in connection with trans-Saharan commercial routes. In this study, we describe mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity of human populations from both sides of the Sahara Desert, i.e., both from North Africa and the Sahel/Savannah belt. The final dataset of 7213 mtDNA sequences from 134 African populations encompasses 470 newly collected and 6743 previously published samples, which were analyzed using descriptive methods and Bayesian statistics. We completely sequenced 26 mtDNAs from sub-Saharan samples belonging to the Eurasian haplogroup N1. Analyses of these N1 mitogenomes revealed their possible routes to the Sahel, mostly via Bab el-Mandab. Our results indicate that maternal gene flow must have been important in this circum-Saharan space, not only within North Africa and the Sahel/Savannah belt but also between these two regions.
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50
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Verberne EA, Westermann JM, de Vries TI, Ecury-Goossen GM, Lo-A-Njoe SM, Manshande ME, Faries S, Veenhuis HD, Philippi P, Falix FA, Rosina-Angelista I, Ponson-Wever M, Rafael-Croes L, Thorsen P, Arends E, de Vroomen M, Nagelkerke SQ, Tilanus M, van der Veken LT, Huijsdens-van Amsterdam K, van der Kevie-Kersemaekers AM, Alders M, Mannens MMAM, van Haelst MM. Genetic care in geographically isolated small island communities: 8 years of experience in the Dutch Caribbean. Am J Med Genet A 2022; 188:1777-1791. [PMID: 35253369 PMCID: PMC9314971 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Worldwide, there are large inequalities in genetic service delivery. In 2011, we established a bi‐annual joint pediatric‐genetics clinic with a visiting clinical geneticist in the Dutch Caribbean. This retrospective study evaluates the yield of diagnostic testing and the clinical utility of a diagnosis for patients with rare diseases on these relatively isolated, resource‐limited islands. A total of 331 patients that were referred to the clinical geneticist between November 2011 and November 2019 and had genetic testing were included in this study. A total of 508 genetic tests were performed on these patients. Microarray, next‐generation sequencing gene panels, and single‐gene analyses were the most frequently performed genetic tests. A molecularly confirmed diagnosis was established in 33% of patients (n = 108). Most diagnosed patients had single nucleotide variants or small insertions and/or deletions (48%) or copy number variants (34%). Molecular diagnostic yield was highest in patients referred for seizures and developmental delay/intellectual disability. The genetic diagnosis had an impact on clinical management in 52% of patients. Referrals to other health professionals and changes in therapy were the most frequently reported clinical consequences. In conclusion, despite limited financial resources, our genetics service resulted in a reasonably high molecular diagnostic yield. Even in this resource‐limited setting, a genetic diagnosis had an impact on clinical management for the majority of patients. Our approach with a visiting clinical geneticist may be an example for others who are developing genetic services in similar settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline A Verberne
- Department of Human Genetics and Amsterdam Reproduction & Development research institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jonne M Westermann
- Department of Human Genetics and Amsterdam Reproduction & Development research institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tamar I de Vries
- Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Medical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Sonja Faries
- Department of Pediatrics, Curaçao Medical Center, Willemstad, Curaçao
| | - Hans D Veenhuis
- Department of Pediatrics, Curaçao Medical Center, Willemstad, Curaçao
| | - Patricia Philippi
- Department of Pediatrics, Curaçao Medical Center, Willemstad, Curaçao
| | - Farah A Falix
- Department of Pediatrics, Curaçao Medical Center, Willemstad, Curaçao
| | | | - Maria Ponson-Wever
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Horacio E. Oduber Hospital, Oranjestad, Aruba
| | | | - Patricia Thorsen
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Horacio E. Oduber Hospital, Oranjestad, Aruba
| | - Eric Arends
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Horacio E. Oduber Hospital, Oranjestad, Aruba
| | - Maartje de Vroomen
- Department of Pediatrics, Fundashon Mariadal, Kralendijk, Bonaire, The Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sietse Q Nagelkerke
- Department of Pediatrics, Fundashon Mariadal, Kralendijk, Bonaire, The Netherlands.,Department of Pediatrics, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn Tilanus
- Department of Pediatrics, St. Maarten Medical Center, Cay Hill, St. Maarten
| | - Lars T van der Veken
- Department of Genetics, Division Laboratories, Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Karin Huijsdens-van Amsterdam
- Department of Genetics, Division Laboratories, Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anne-Marie van der Kevie-Kersemaekers
- Department of Human Genetics and Amsterdam Reproduction & Development research institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mariëlle Alders
- Department of Human Genetics and Amsterdam Reproduction & Development research institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel M A M Mannens
- Department of Human Genetics and Amsterdam Reproduction & Development research institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mieke M van Haelst
- Department of Human Genetics and Amsterdam Reproduction & Development research institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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