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Kentistou KA, Lim BEM, Kaisinger LR, Steinthorsdottir V, Sharp LN, Patel KA, Tragante V, Hawkes G, Gardner EJ, Olafsdottir T, Wood AR, Zhao Y, Thorleifsson G, Day FR, Ozanne SE, Hattersley AT, O'Rahilly S, Stefansson K, Ong KK, Beaumont RN, Perry JRB, Freathy RM. Rare variant associations with birth weight identify genes involved in adipose tissue regulation, placental function and insulin-like growth factor signalling. medRxiv 2024:2024.04.03.24305248. [PMID: 38633783 PMCID: PMC11023655 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.03.24305248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Investigating the genetic factors influencing human birth weight may lead to biological insights into fetal growth and long-term health. Genome-wide association studies of birth weight have highlighted associated variants in more than 200 regions of the genome, but the causal genes are mostly unknown. Rare genetic variants with robust evidence of association are more likely to point to causal genes, but to date, only a few rare variants are known to influence birth weight. We aimed to identify genes that harbour rare variants that impact birth weight when carried by either the fetus or the mother, by analysing whole exome sequence data in UK Biobank participants. We annotated rare (minor allele frequency <0.1%) protein-truncating or high impact missense variants on whole exome sequence data in up to 234,675 participants with data on their own birth weight (fetal variants), and up to 181,883 mothers who reported the birth weight of their first child (maternal variants). Variants within each gene were collapsed to perform gene burden tests and for each associated gene, we compared the observed fetal and maternal effects. We identified 8 genes with evidence of rare fetal variant effects on birth weight, of which 2 also showed maternal effects. One additional gene showed evidence of maternal effects only. We observed 10/11 directionally concordant associations in an independent sample of up to 45,622 individuals (sign test P=0.01). Of the genes identified, IGF1R and PAPPA2 (fetal and maternal-acting) have known roles in insulin-like growth factor bioavailability and signalling. PPARG, INHBE and ACVR1C (all fetal-acting) have known roles in adipose tissue regulation and rare variants in the latter two also showed associations with favourable adiposity patterns in adults. We highlight the dual role of PPARG in both adipocyte differentiation and placental angiogenesis. NOS3, NRK, and ADAMTS8 (fetal and maternal-acting) have been implicated in both placental function and hypertension. Analysis of rare coding variants has identified regulators of fetal adipose tissue and fetoplacental angiogenesis as determinants of birth weight, as well as further evidence for the role of insulin-like growth factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A Kentistou
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Brandon E M Lim
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Lena R Kaisinger
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | | | - Luke N Sharp
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Kashyap A Patel
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Gareth Hawkes
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Eugene J Gardner
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | | | - Andrew R Wood
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Yajie Zhao
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | | | - Felix R Day
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Susan E Ozanne
- MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Andrew T Hattersley
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Stephen O'Rahilly
- MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Kari Stefansson
- deCODE genetics/Amgen, Inc., 102 Reykjavik, Iceland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Ken K Ong
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Robin N Beaumont
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - John R B Perry
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Rachel M Freathy
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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Szala-Poździej A, Świerzko AS, Gajek G, Kufelnicka-Babout M, Chojnacka K, Kobiela P, Jarych D, Sobczuk K, Mazela J, Domżalska-Popadiuk I, Kalinka J, Sekine H, Matsushita M, Cedzyński M. Association of the FCN2 Gene Promoter Region Polymorphisms with Very Low Birthweight in Preterm Neonates. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23. [PMID: 36499663 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) localised to the promoter region of the FCN2 gene are known to influence the concentration of ficolin-2 in human serum and therefore potentially have clinical associations. We investigated the relationships between SNPs at positions −986 (A > G), −602 (G > A), −64 (A > C) and −4 (A > G) and clinical complications in 501 preterms. Major alleles at positions −986 and −64 and A/A homozygosity for both polymorphisms were less frequent among babies with very low birthweight (VLBW, ≤1500 g) compared with the reference group (OR = 0.24, p = 0.0029; and OR = 0.49, p = 0.024, respectively for A/A genotypes). A lower frequency of G/G homozygosity at position −4 was associated with gestational age <33 weeks and VLBW (OR = 0.38, p = 0.047; and OR = 0.07, p = 0.0034, respectively). The AGAG haplotype was protective for VLBW (OR = 0.6, p = 0.0369), whilst the GGCA haplotype had the opposite effect (OR = 2.95, p = 0.0249). The latter association was independent of gestational age. The AGAG/GGAA diplotype favoured both shorter gestational age and VLBW (OR = 1.82, p = 0.0234 and OR = 1.95, p = 0.0434, respectively). In contrast, AGAG homozygosity was protective for lower body mass (OR = 0.09, p = 0.0155). Our data demonstrate that some FCN2 variants associated with relatively low ficolin-2 increase the risk of VLBW and suggest that ficolin-2 is an important factor for fetal development/intrauterine growth.
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Ong YY, Tint MT, Aris IM, Yuan WL, Chen LW, Fortier MV, Choo J, Ling LH, Shek L, Tan KH, Gluckman PD, Yap F, Chong YS, Godfrey KM, Chong MFF, Chan SY, Eriksson JG, Wlodek ME, De Lucia Rolfe E, Ong KK, Michael N, Lee YS. Newborn body composition and child cardiovascular risk markers: a prospective multi-ethnic Asian cohort study. Int J Epidemiol 2022; 51:1835-1846. [PMID: 35906917 PMCID: PMC9749728 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyac154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early epidemiological studies have associated low birthweight with increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to examine whether the fat and fat-free components of birthweight have differing relationships with childhood cardiovascular risk markers. METHODS In the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort, air displacement plethysmography was conducted within 24 h after delivery in 290 naturally conceived singletons. We investigated associations of newborn cohort-specific standardized z-score of fat mass, fat-free mass, body fat percentage and birthweight on child (at 6 years of age) carotid intima-media thickness, pulse wave velocity, blood pressure, prehypertension/hypertension (>110/70 mmHg) and standardized systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) trajectories (at 3-6 years of age), taking account of maternal education, height, tobacco exposure, parity, ethnicity, child's sex, gestational age, age at follow-up, and other maternal factors. RESULTS Clear inverse associations were seen for blood pressure with z-score of fat mass [SBP, β (95% CI): -1.31 mmHg (-2.57, -0.06); DBP: -0.79 mmHg (-1.74, 0.15)] and body fat percentage [SBP: -1.46 mmHg (-2.73, -0.19); DBP: -0.80 mmHg (-1.75, 0.16)], but not with fat-free mass [SBP: 0.27 mmHg (-1.29, 1.83)]; DBP: -0.14 mmHg (-1.30, 1.03)]. Being in the lowest tertile of fat mass or body fat percentage was associated with higher blood pressure trajectories and prehypertension/hypertension risk [OR (95% CI), fat mass: 4.23 (1.41, 12.68); body fat percentage: 3.22 (1.09, 9.53)] without concomitantly higher overweight/obesity risk. CONCLUSIONS At birth, low adiposity was associated with increased childhood blood pressure. Low newborn adiposity might serve as a marker of poor fetal growth or suboptimal intrauterine conditions associated with hypertension risk later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ying Ong
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mya-Thway Tint
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Human Potential Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore,Singapore Institute for Clinical Science, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore
| | - Izzuddin M Aris
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wen Lun Yuan
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ling-Wei Chen
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Science, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore,Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Marielle V Fortier
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Science, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore
| | - Jonathan Choo
- Department of Paediatrics, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore
| | - Lieng Hsi Ling
- Department of Cardiology, National University Heart Centre, Singapore
| | - Lynette Shek
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore,Singapore Institute for Clinical Science, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore,Department of Paediatrics, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children’s Medical Institute, Singapore
| | - Kok Hian Tan
- Academic Medicine Department, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore,Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore
| | - Peter D Gluckman
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Science, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore,Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Fabian Yap
- Department of Paediatrics, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore,Academic Medicine Department, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Yap-Seng Chong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Human Potential Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore,Singapore Institute for Clinical Science, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore
| | - Keith M Godfrey
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit and NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Mary F-F Chong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Science, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore,Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shiao-Yng Chan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Human Potential Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore,Singapore Institute for Clinical Science, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore
| | - Johan G Eriksson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Human Potential Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore,Singapore Institute for Clinical Science, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore,Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Public Health Research Program, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mary E Wlodek
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Human Potential Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore,Singapore Institute for Clinical Science, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore
| | - Emanuella De Lucia Rolfe
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ken K Ong
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Yung Seng Lee
- Corresponding author. Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block Level 12, Singapore 119228, Singapore. E-mail:
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