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Sterenborg RBTM, Galesloot TE, Teumer A, Netea-Maier RT, Speed D, Meima ME, Visser WE, Smit JWA, Peeters RP, Medici M. The Effects of Common Genetic Variation in 96 Genes Involved in Thyroid Hormone Regulation on TSH and FT4 Concentrations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:e2276-e2283. [PMID: 35262175 PMCID: PMC9315164 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE While most of the variation in thyroid function is determined by genetic factors, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified via genome-wide association analyses have only explained ~5% to 9% of this variance so far. Most SNPs were in or nearby genes with no known role in thyroid hormone (TH) regulation. Therefore, we performed a large-scale candidate gene study investigating the effect of common genetic variation in established TH regulating genes on serum thyrotropin [thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)] and thyroxine (FT4) concentrations. METHODS SNPs in or within 10 kb of 96 TH regulating genes were included (30 031 TSH SNPs, and 29 962 FT4 SNPs). Associations were studied in 54 288 individuals from the ThyroidOmics Consortium. Linkage disequilibrium-based clumping was used to identify independently associated SNPs. SNP-based explained variances were calculated using SumHer software. RESULTS We identified 23 novel TSH-associated SNPs in predominantly hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis genes and 25 novel FT4-associated SNPs in mainly peripheral metabolism and transport genes. Genome-wide SNP variation explained ~21% (SD 1.7) of the total variation in both TSH and FT4 concentrations, whereas SNPs in the 96 TH regulating genes explained 1.9% to 2.6% (SD 0.4). CONCLUSION Here we report the largest candidate gene analysis on thyroid function, resulting in a substantial increase in the number of genetic variants determining TSH and FT4 concentrations. Interestingly, these candidate gene SNPs explain only a minor part of the variation in TSH and FT4 concentrations, which substantiates the need for large genetic studies including common and rare variants to unravel novel, yet unknown, pathways in TH regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosalie B T M Sterenborg
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Academic Center for Thyroid Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tessel E Galesloot
- Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Department for Health Evidence, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Teumer
- Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- Department of Population Medicine and Lifestyle Diseases Prevention, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
| | - Romana T Netea-Maier
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Doug Speed
- Department of Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marcel E Meima
- Academic Center for Thyroid Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W Edward Visser
- Academic Center for Thyroid Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes W A Smit
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Robin P Peeters
- Academic Center for Thyroid Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marco Medici
- Correspondence: Marco Medici, MD, PhD, Academic Center for Thyroid Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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