Background. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are involved in the innate immune response. We examined whether TLR variants are associated with Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Methods. We tested whether 18 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs) assayed in 4 TLR genes (TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR6) and 2 adaptor molecules (TIRAP, MyD88) were associated with C. trachomatis among 205 African American women with clinically suspected PID from the PID Evaluation and Clinical Health Study. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). An empirical P value of <.004 was considered significant.
Results. Women with PID who carried the TLR4 rs1927911 CC genotype had significantly increased odds of C. trachomatis (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.6–8.8; P = .002). The TLR1 rs5743618TT genotype was also associated with C. trachomatis (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.3–6.2; P = .008).
Conclusions. Among African American women with PID, variants in the TLR1 and TLR4 genes, which may increase signaling, were associated with increased C. trachomatis infection.
doi:10.1093/infdis/jir822
PMCID: PMC3266128
PMID: 22238472
Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 alleles increase the risk for late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD) and decrease the age of onset. Recently, sequencing the APOE region in a small sample of LOAD subjects identified a variable length poly-T repeat sequence in the nearby gene, TOMM40, which may affect age of onset. We genotyped the TOMM40 poly-T repeat using a novel statistical approach to refine the identification of allele length in 892 LOAD subjects and evaluated its effects on age of onset. Because psychosis in LOAD is a heritable phenotype which has shown conflicting associations with APOE genotype, we also evaluated the association of poly-T repeat length with psychosis. Poly-T repeat lengths had a trimodal distribution which differed between APOE genotype groups. After accounting for APOE ε4 there was no association of poly-T repeat length with age of onset. Neither APOE ε4 nor poly-T repeat length was associated with psychosis. Our findings do not support the association of poly-T repeat length with age of onset in LOAD. The clinical implications of this repeat length polymorphism remain to be elucidated.
doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.06.016
PMCID: PMC3192304
PMID: 21820212
Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4; late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD); psychosis; TOMM40; variable length poly-T repeat sequence
Taioli, Emanuela | Flores-Obando, Rafael E. | Agalliu, Ilir | Blanchet, Pascal | Bunker, Clareann H. | Ferrell, Robert E. | Jackson, Maria | Kidd, La Creis R. | Kolb, Suzanne | Lavender, Nicol A. | McFarlane-Anderson, Norma | Morrison, Seian S. | Multigner, Luc | Ostrande, Elaine A. | Park, Jong Y. | Patrick, Alan L. | Rebbeck, Timothy R. | Romana, Marc | Stanford, Janet L. | Ukoli, Flora | VanCleave, Tiva T. | Zeigler-Johnson, Charnita M. | Mutetwa, Batsirai | Ragin, Camille
Prostate cancer disparities have been reported in men of African descent who show the highest incidence, mortality, compared with other ethnic groups. Few studies have explored the genetic and environmental factors for prostate cancer in men of African ancestry. The glutathione-S-transferases family conjugates carcinogens before their excretion and is expressed in prostate tissue. This study addressed the role of GSTM1 and GSTT1 deletions on prostate cancer risk in populations of African descent. This multi-institutional case–control study gathered data from the Genetic Susceptibility to Environmental Carcinogens (GSEC) database, the African-Caribbean Cancer Consortium (AC3) and Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate Consortium (MADCaP). The analysis included 10 studies (1715 cases and 2363 controls), five in African-Americans, three in African-Caribbean and two in African men. Both the GSTM1 and the GSTT1 deletions showed significant inverse associations with prostate cancer [odds ratio (OR): 0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83–0.97 and OR 0.88, 95% CI: 0.82–0.96, respectively]. The association was restricted to Caribbean and African populations. A significant positive association was observed between GSTM1 deletion and prostate cancer in smokers in African-American studies (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.01–1.56), whereas a reduced risk was observed in never-smokers (OR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.46–0.95). The risk of prostate cancer increased across quartiles of pack-years among subjects carrying the deletion of GSTM1 but not among subjects carrying a functional GSTM1. Gene–environment interaction between smoking and GSTM1 may be involved in the etiology of prostate cancer in populations of African descent.
doi:10.1093/carcin/bgr119
PMCID: PMC3165127
PMID: 21705483
The results of the current analyses present preliminary evidence of an association between putatively functional variation in the prodynorphin (PDYN) gene and a dimensional measure of disinhibited behavior. A 68 bp sequence in the core promoter region of the PDYN gene was genotyped in a community sample of 1021 adults aged 30–54. Participants were interviewed for lifetime history of DSM-IV alcohol dependence and completed two self-report measures of sensation seeking and impulsiveness. Fifteen percent (n=151) of the sample met DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence and while results did not support an association between the PDYN polymorphism and the diagnosis of alcohol dependence, we did observe an association between the “low” expressing L allele of the PDYN gene and a preference for engaging in disinhibited behavior. Additionally, people who had both a history of alcohol dependence and higher scores on this Disinhibited Behavior scale were most likely to carry an L allele. These results indicate that variation in the PDYN gene is associated with a dimensional trait or intermediate phenotype that reflects a preference for heavy drinking and engaging in related risky behaviors (e.g., drug use, sexual activity).
doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2011.06.007
PMCID: PMC3171516
PMID: 21736916
Research integrating neuroimaging and molecular genetics has yielded important insights into how variability in brain chemistry predicts individual differences in brain function, behavior and related risk for psychopathology. However, existing studies have been limited by their focus on the independent effects of single polymorphisms with modest impact on brain chemistry. Here, we explored the effects of five functional polymorphisms affecting dopamine (DA) signaling on reward-related ventral striatum (VS) reactivity, measured with BOLD fMRI, in a sample of 69 Caucasians. We also compiled individual multilocus genetic profile scores reflecting the additive effects of alleles conferring relatively increased DA signaling across the five polymorphic loci: DAT1 9-repeat, DRD4 7-repeat, DRD2 -141C Del, DRD2 Taq1A C (A2), and COMT 158Met. These multilocus DA profile scores accounted for 10.9% of the inter-individual variability in reward-related VS reactivity. In contrast, none of the individual polymorphisms accounted for significant variability. Our results show that biologically informed multilocus genetic profiles have unique promise as indices of variability in brain chemistry that may yield advances in mapping individual differences in behaviorally relevant brain function. In turn, such genetic profiles may fuel gene–environment interactions research establishing trajectories of risk for psychopathology.
doi:10.1038/npp.2011.82
PMCID: PMC3154113
PMID: 21593733
genetic profile; dopamine; ventral striatum; reward; fMRI; dopamine; neurogenetics; neurotransmitters; biological psychiatry; genetic profile; ventral striatum; reward; fMRI
Charles, Bashira A. | Conley, Yvette P. | Chen, Guanjie | Miller, Rachel G. | Dorman, Janice S. | Gorin, Michael B. | Ferrell, Robert E. | Sereika, Susan M. | Rotimi, Charles N. | Orchard, Trevor J.
Aims
The adenosine A2A receptor (ADORA2A) may ameliorate deleterious physiologic effects associated with tissue injury in individuals with diabetes. We explored associations between variants of the ADORA2A gene and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in a cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Methods
The participants were from the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications prospective study of childhood-onset T1D. Stereoscopic photographs of the retinal fundus taken at baseline, then biennially, for 10 years were used to define PDR according to the modified Airlie House system. Two tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs; rs2236624-C/T and rs4822489-G/T) in the ADORA2A gene were selected using the HapMap (haplotype map) reference database.
Results
A significant association was observed between SNP rs2236624 and PDR in the recessive genetic model. Participants homozygous for the T allele displayed a decreased risk of developing prevalent PDR (odds ratio, OR = 0.36; p = 0.04) and incident PDR (hazard ratio = 0.156; p = 0.009), and for all cases of PDR combined (OR = 0.23; p = 0.001). The protective effect of T allele homozygosity remained after adjusting for covariates. Similarly, for SNP rs4822489, an association between PDR and T allele homozygosity was observed following covariate adjustment (OR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.31–0.92; p = 0.04).
Conclusion
Genetic variants of ADORA2A offer statistically significant protection against PDR development in patients with T1D.
doi:10.1159/000317057
PMCID: PMC2997447
PMID: 21088442
Diabetes; Diabetic retinopathy; Single nucleotide polymorphism; Adenosine receptor
Forbes, Erika E. | Dahl, Ronald E. | Almeida, Jorge R.C. | Ferrell, Robert E. | Nimgaonkar, Vishwajit L. | Mansour, Hader | Sciarrillo, Samantha R. | Holm, Stephanie M. | Rodriguez, Eric E. | Phillips, Mary L.
Background
Reward behavior in animals is influenced by circadian genes, including clock-pathway genes such as Period2 (PER2). Several forms of psychiatric illness are associated with both altered reward function and disturbances in circadian function. The PER2 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2304672 has been associated with psychiatric illnesses involving reward dysfunction. Associations among circadian genes, function in neural reward circuits, and circadian-influenced behavior have not yet been studied in humans, however.
Methods
90 healthy adolescents underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during a guessing task with monetary reward, genotyping for two PER2 SNPs (rs2304672, rs2304674), and actigraphy to measure sleep in their home environments. Weekend sleep midpoint, a behavioral index of circadian function, was derived from actigraphy. Puberty was measured by physical exam.
Results
The rs2304672 SNP predicted blood oxygenation level-dependent response to monetary reward as constrained by sleep midpoint. Later sleep midpoint was associated with reduced activity in a key component of reward circuitry, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC; Brodmann area 9/10/32), to reward outcome (pcorrected < .05). G allele carriers showed reduced activity in mPFC relative to CC homozygotes.
Conclusions
Our findings are the first to indicate that circadian genes have a significant impact upon circadian-relevant reward circuitry in humans. These findings have the potential to elucidate gene-brain-behavior relationships underlying reward processing and psychopathology.
doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.10.012
PMCID: PMC3323120
PMID: 22137505
Brain function; circadian function; clock-pathway genes; development; reward; PER2
Psychotic symptoms occur in approximately 40% of subjects with Alzheimer disease (AD with Psychosis, AD+P) and identify a subgroup with more rapid cognitive decline. We evaluated in 867 AD subjects the association of AD+P with genes which may modify the pathologic process via effects on the accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) protein and/or hyperphosphorylated microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT): amyloid precursor protein (APP), beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (BACE1), sortilin-related receptor (SORL1), and MAPT. Each gene was thoroughly interrogated with tag SNPs, and gene-based tests were used to enhance power. We found no association of these genes with AD+P.
doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2010.10.003
PMCID: PMC3065549
PMID: 21093110
Alzheimer's disease; psychosis; amyloid precursor protein (APP); beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (BACE1); sortilin-related receptor (SORL1); microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT); and Apolipoprotein E e4 (APOE e4)
Interferon-α (IFN-α) treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is complicated by depression and related neurovegetative side effects. Recent genome-wide scans identified IL28B gene polymorphisms that associated with HCV clearance. Whether the IL28B polymorphism is also associated with these adverse effects of IFN-α would affect its clinical usefulness. One hundred thirty-three patients were prospectively examined using the Beck Depression Inventory-II and a Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV) during IFN-α treatment. The candidate C/T single-nucleotide polymorphism upstream from IL28B (rs1297860) was genotyped and assessed for association with individual items from the Beck Depression Inventory-II. We confirmed that the IL28B polymorphism was associated with differences in sustained viral response (F = 3.38; P < 0.05), with the T/T genotype faring worst. However, the T/T genotype was associated with less appetite (P < 0.05), energy (P < 0.05), and sleep complaints (P < 0.05) during treatment. Only 3.1% of patients with T/T developed major appetite complaints, whereas 10.1% and 8.9% of those with the C/T and C/C genotype did, respectively. Only 10.8% of patients with T/T developed major sleep complaints, whereas 16.1% and 20.7% of those with the C/T and C/C genotype did. However, IL28B genotype did not predict development of major depressive disorder (χ2 = 0.12; P = 0.94). The allele (C) was associated with both better viral clearance and more subjective appetite, energy, and sleep complaints. This has implications for the management of patients with HCV. If genotyping is used to better target therapy, this may co-enrich the population for likelihood of also suffering from these side effects.
doi:10.1089/jir.2010.0074
PMCID: PMC3043990
PMID: 21133812
Development of interpersonal relationships is a fundamental human motivation, and behaviors facilitating social bonding are prized. Some individuals experience enhanced reward from alcohol in social contexts and may be at heightened risk for developing and maintaining problematic drinking. We employed a 3 (group beverage condition) ×2 (genotype) design (N = 422) to test the moderating influence of the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4 VNTR) polymorphism on the effects of alcohol on social bonding. A significant gene x environment interaction showed that carriers of at least one copy of the 7-repeat allele reported higher social bonding in the alcohol, relative to placebo or control conditions, whereas alcohol did not affect ratings of 7-absent allele carriers. Carriers of the 7-repeat allele were especially sensitive to alcohol's effects on social bonding. These data converge with other recent gene-environment interaction findings implicating the DRD4 polymorphism in the development of alcohol use disorders, and results suggest a specific pathway by which social factors may increase risk for problematic drinking among 7-repeat carriers. More generally, our findings highlight the potential utility of employing transdisciplinary methods that integrate genetic methodologies, social psychology, and addiction theory to improve theories of alcohol use and abuse.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028914
PMCID: PMC3275561
PMID: 22347363
Age at menarche, a sentinel index of pubertal maturation, was examined in relation to early family relationships (conflict, cohesion) and polymorphic variation in the gene encoding estrogen receptor-α (ESR1) in a midlife sample of 455 European American women. Consistent with prior literature, women who reported being raised in families characterized by close interpersonal relationships and little conflict tended to reach menarche at a later age than participants reared in families lacking cohesion and prone to discord. Moreover, this association was moderated by ESR1 variation, such that quality of the family environment covaried positively with menarcheal age among participants homozygous for minor alleles of the two ESR1 polymorphisms studied here (rs9304799, rs2234693), but not among women of other ESR1 genotypes. In addition, a) family relationship variables were unrelated to ESR1 variation, and b) genotype-dependent effects of childhood environment on age at menarche could not be accounted for by personality traits elsewhere shown to explain heritable variation in reported family conflict and cohesion. These findings are consistent with theories of differential susceptibility to environmental influence, as well as the more specific hypothesis (by Belsky) that girls differ genetically in their sensitivity to rearing effects on pubertal maturation.
doi:10.1017/S0954579410000659
PMCID: PMC3077552
PMID: 21262040
Pubertal Timing; Menarche; Family Environment; Estrogen Receptor-α; Gene-Environment Interaction; Differential Susceptibility
Background
Although the etiology of the metabolic syndrome remains unclear, recent evidence suggests that dysregulation of brain serotonergic activity may partly underlie the covariation of risk factors comprising the syndrome. In addition, prior studies have shown polymorphisms in the serotonin 2A receptor (HTR2A) gene to be associated with two syndrome components, hypertension and central adiposity. We conducted a study to confirm associations of HTR2A polymorphisms with elevated blood pressure and central adiposity and tested for association between these polymorphisms and the metabolic syndrome.
Methods
The study sample included 934 unrelated individuals of European ancestry. We tested for association of two HTR2A polymorphisms, one in the promoter: (−1438[G/A]) and one in the first intron (2416 [C/T]), individually and as a diplotype, with elevated blood pressure, central adiposity, elevated fasting glucose, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and presence of the metabolic syndrome, as defined by the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI) Scientific Statement Executive Summary.
Results
Confirming previous reports, elevated blood pressure (>130/85 mm Hg) was associated with both the −1438 GG and 2416 TT genotypes and the GG/TT diplotype (ORs = 1.39–1.76); high waist circumference was associated with −1438 GG genotype only (OR = 1.57). In addition, both the −1438 GG and 2416 TT genotypes, and the GG/TT diplotype, predicted presence of the metabolic syndrome (ORs = 1.44–1.77). Fasting glucose, triglyceride and HDL cholesterol were not associated with either polymorphism.
Conclusions
Elevated blood pressure, central adiposity, and the metabolic syndrome are associated with polymorphisms in HTR2A gene.
doi:10.1089/met.2007.0008
PMCID: PMC3237193
PMID: 18370802
Background
Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is a key enzyme in regulating endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling. A common single nucleotide polymorphism (C385A) in the human FAAH gene has been associated with increased risk for addiction and obesity.
Methods
Using imaging genetics in 82 healthy adult volunteers, we examined the effects of FAAH C385A on threat- and reward-related human brain function.
Results
Carriers of FAAH 385A, associated with reduced enzyme and, possibly, increased eCB signaling, had decreased threat-related amygdala reactivity but increased reward-related ventral striatal reactivity in comparison to C385 homozygotes. Similar divergent effects of FAAH C385A genotype were manifest at the level of brain-behavior relationships. 385A carriers showed decreased correlation between amygdala reactivity and trait anxiety but increased correlation between ventral striatal reactivity and delay discounting, an index of impulsivity.
Conclusions
Our results parallel pharmacologic and genetic dissection of eCB signaling, are consistent with the psychotropic effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and highlight specific neural mechanisms through which variability in eCB signaling impacts complex behavioral processes related to risk for addiction and obesity.
doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.10.047
PMCID: PMC3215587
PMID: 19103437
Brown adipose tissue is a highly specialized organ that uses mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation to fuel nonshivering thermogenesis. In mice, mutations in the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase family of fatty acid oxidation genes are associated with sensitivity to cold. Brown adipose tissue function has not previously been characterized in these knockout strains. Short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD) deficient mice were found to have increased brown adipose tissue mass as well as modest cardiac hypertrophy. Uncoupling protein-1 was reduced by 70% in brown adipose tissue and this was not due to a change in mitochondrial number, nor was it due to decreased signal transduction through protein kinase A which is known to be a major regulator of uncoupling protein-1 expression. PKA activity and in vitro lipolysis were normal in brown adipose tissue, although in white adipose tissue a modest increase in basal lipolysis was seen in SCAD−/ − mice. Finally, an in vivo norepinephrine challenge of brown adipose tissue thermogenesis revealed normal heat production in SCAD−/− mice. These results suggest that reduced brown adipose tissue function is not the major factor causing cold sensitivity in acyl-CoA dehydrogenase knockout strains. We speculate that other mechanisms such as shivering capacity, cardiac function, and reduced hepatic glycogen stores are involved.
doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2010.08.053
PMCID: PMC2946480
PMID: 20727852
brown adipose tissue; fatty acid oxidation; nonshivering thermogenesis; acyl-CoA dehydrogenase; uncoupling protein-1; protein kinase A
Objective
Inflammatory cytokines may influence both labile anger and depression. Both psychiatric conditions can occur during interferon-alpha (IFN–α) based treatments. Evidence also indicates a central nervous system role for TNF-α, whose expression may be increased by IFN-α. A polymorphism in the promoter region of TNF-α has been associated with various inflammatory illnesses. We therefore hypothesized that this TNF-α polymorphism would influence susceptibility to psychiatric symptoms during IFN-α therapy.
Methods
105 patients with hepatitis C, initially without active major depression (MDD), were treated with IFN-α and then prospectively monitored using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI), the Anger Irritability and Assault Questionnaire, and circulating TNF-α levels. The A-308G polymorphism (rs1800629) was determined using the 5′-nuclease assay. Repeated-measure mixed-effect analyses compared changes in symptoms over time.
Result
BDI increased during IFN-α therapy (F = 6.2; p<0.001), with 27% developing MDD. The TNF-α A allele was associated with worsened labile anger (F = 2.5; p<0.05) and fatigue (F = 2.9; p<0.05) during treatment, but not with major depression incidence (X2 = 0.0; p=0.99) or increased BDI (F = 1.2; p=0.31). Labile anger was not predicted by the serotonin transporter polymorphism (F = 0.8; p=0.59).
Discussion
During treatment with an exogenous cytokine, vulnerability to worsening labile anger -- distinct from major depression -- is associated with genetic variability in TNF-α. This has implications both for patients being treated with IFN-α, as well as our understanding of genetic vulnerability for different subtypes of dysphoric and mood disorders.
doi:10.1097/WNF.0b013e3181de8966
PMCID: PMC2911643
PMID: 20661026
Cytokine; inflammation; genetic; polymorphism; anger
Sofat, Reecha | Casas, Juan P | Webster, Andrew R | Bird, Alan C | Mann, Samantha S | Yates, John RW | Moore, Anthony T | Sepp, Tiina | Cipriani, Valentina | Bunce, Catey | Khan, Jane C | Shahid, Humma | Swaroop, Anand | Abecasis, Gonçalo | Branham, Kari E H | Zareparsi, Sepideh | Bergen, Arthur A | Klaver, Caroline CW | Baas, Dominique C | Zhang, Kang | Chen, Yuhong | Gibbs, Daniel | Weber, Bernhard H F | Keilhauer, Claudia N | Fritsche, Lars G | Lotery, Andrew | Cree, Angela J | Griffiths, Helen L | Bhattacharya, Shomi S | Chen, Li L | Jenkins, Sharon A | Peto, Tunde | Lathrop, Mark | Leveillard, Thierry | Gorin, Michael B | Weeks, Daniel E | Ortube, Maria Carolina | Ferrell, Robert E | Jakobsdottir, Johanna | Conley, Yvette P | Rahu, Mati | Seland, Johan H | Soubrane, Gisele | Topouzis, Fotis | Vioque, Jesus | Tomazzoli, Laura | Young, Ian | Whittaker, John | Chakravarthy, Usha | de Jong, Paulus T V M | Smeeth, Liam | Fletcher, Astrid | Hingorani, Aroon D
Background Variation in the complement factor H gene (CFH) is associated with risk of late age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Previous studies have been case–control studies in populations of European ancestry with little differentiation in AMD subtype, and insufficient power to confirm or refute effect modification by smoking.
Methods To precisely quantify the association of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs1061170, ‘Y402H’) with risk of AMD among studies with differing study designs, participant ancestry and AMD grade and to investigate effect modification by smoking, we report two unpublished genetic association studies (n = 2759) combined with data from 24 published studies (26 studies, 26 494 individuals, including 14 174 cases of AMD) of European ancestry, 10 of which provided individual-level data used to test gene–smoking interaction; and 16 published studies from non-European ancestry.
Results In individuals of European ancestry, there was a significant association between Y402H and late-AMD with a per-allele odds ratio (OR) of 2.27 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.10–2.45; P = 1.1 x 10−161]. There was no evidence of effect modification by smoking (P = 0.75). The frequency of Y402H varied by ancestral origin and the association with AMD in non-Europeans was less clear, limited by paucity of studies.
Conclusion The Y402H variant confers a 2-fold higher risk of late-AMD per copy in individuals of European descent. This was stable to stratification by study design and AMD classification and not modified by smoking. The lack of association in non-Europeans requires further verification. These findings are of direct relevance for disease prediction. New research is needed to ascertain if differences in circulating levels, expression or activity of factor H protein explain the genetic association.
doi:10.1093/ije/dyr204
PMCID: PMC3304526
PMID: 22253316
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD); Complement factor H gene; meta-ananlysis
Although many studies have found psychological depression associated with higher circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), not all findings are consistent. Since DNA sequence variation in the CRP gene has also been shown to predict plasma CRP levels, we hypothesized that plasma CRP may covary with depressive symptomatology as a function of allelic variation in the CRP gene. We tested this hypothesis in 868 healthy community volunteers of European ancestry. Depressive symptomatology was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression (CESD) scale, and plasma CRP was assayed from whole blood. Three polymorphisms [rs1417938 (A/T), rs1800947 (C/G) and rs1205 (C/T)] were genotyped and three-locus haplotypes were generated. Regression models adjusting for demographic and lifestyle-related covariates showed no direct association of CESD depression scores with CRP. In regression models adjusting for age, gender, education, smoking status and statin use, one CRP haplotype (T-G-C) was associated with CRP level (p = 0.014) and a second haplotype (A-G-T) showed marginal association (p=0.064 respectively). Neither haplotype was related to depressive symptoms. However, plasma CRP was predicted by the interaction of A-G-T haplotype with depressive symptomatology (p = 0.009). Higher CESD scores were associated positively with CRP levels among individuals with the A-G-T haplotype (p = 0.004). In secondary analyses, body mass index was found to partially account for the moderating effects of the A-G-T haplotype on the association of depression with circulating CRP. In conclusion, we found that haplotypic variation in the CRP locus moderates an association of depressive symptoms with circulating CRP, which is partially mediated by BMI.
doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2009.09.014
PMCID: PMC3074460
PMID: 19796676
CRP; depression; inflammation; genotypes; haplotypes; interaction
The calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) is a G-protein coupled, transmembrane receptor that responds to changes in Ca2+ levels. We hypothesized that the CASR could have a role in Alzheimer disease (AD) given expression of the CASR in brain, knowledge that calcium dysregulation promotes susceptibility to neuronal cell damage, the important role that the CASR plays in calcium regulation, and the fact that systemic calcium homeostasis and G-protein signal transduction are altered in AD patients. To investigate the association of CASR variation in AD susceptibility, we genotyped a polymorphic dinucleotide repeat marker within intron 4, one SNP within the promoter region and three non-synonymous SNPs within exon 7 of the CASR gene and tested for association analysis, using a well-characterized cohort of AD cases (n = 692) and controls (n = 435). The dinucleotide repeat polymorphism was significantly associated with AD status (OR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.27–2.07, P = 0.00037, Bonferroni corrected P = 0.0011) and the three non-synonymous SNP haplotype was boarderline associated with AD status (P = 0.032, Bonferroni corrected P = 0.096). Stratifying by APOE4 allele carrier status revealed that the significant association was only in non-APOE4 carriers (OR of 1.90; 95% CI: 1.37–2.62, P = 0.0001). We also investigated whether apoE or βamyloid could activate the calcium-sensing receptor. The receptor activation assays revealed that apoE as well as βamyloid activated the CASR and that the level of activation appeared to be isoform dependent for apoE. These data support our hypothesis that the CASR has a role in AD susceptibility, particularly in individuals without an APOE4 allele.
doi:10.1002/ajmg.b.30896
PMCID: PMC3062902
PMID: 19035514
CASR; calcium dysregulation; AD; APOE
Yerges, Laura M | Klei, Lambertus | Cauley, Jane A | Roeder, Kathryn | Kammerer, Candace M | Ensrud, Kristine E | Nestlerode, Cara S | Lewis, Cora | Lang, Thomas F | Barrett-Connor, Elizabeth | Moffett, Susan P | Hoffman, Andrew R | Ferrell, Robert E | Orwoll, Eric S | Zmuda, Joseph M
In contrast to conventional dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, quantitative computed tomography separately measures trabecular and cortical volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD). Little is known about the genetic variants associated with trabecular and cortical vBMD in humans, although both may be important for determining bone strength and osteoporotic risk. In the current analysis, we tested the hypothesis that there are genetic variants associated with trabecular and cortical vBMD at the femoral neck by genotyping 4608 tagging and potentially functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 383 bone metabolism candidate genes in 822 Caucasian men aged 65 years or older from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS). Promising SNP associations then were tested for replication in an additional 1155 men from the same study. We identified SNPs in five genes (IFNAR2, NFATC1, SMAD1, HOXA, and KLF10) that were robustly associated with cortical vBMD and SNPs in nine genes (APC, ATF2, BMP3, BMP7, FGF18, FLT1, TGFB3, THRB, and RUNX1) that were robustly associated with trabecular vBMD. There was no overlap between genes associated with cortical vBMD and trabecular vBMD. These findings identify novel genetic variants for cortical and trabecular vBMD and raise the possibility that some genetic loci may be unique for each bone compartment. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
doi:10.1359/jbmr.090729
PMCID: PMC3153388
PMID: 19619005
osteoporosis; Genetics; BMD; men; qCT
Uptake resolved by high-speed chronoamperometry on a second-by-second basis has revealed important differences in brain serotonin transporter function associated with genetic variability. Here, we use chronoamperometry to investigate variations in serotonin transport in primary lymphocytes associated with the rhesus serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphism (rh5-HTTLPR), a promoter polymorphism whose orthologs occur only in higher order primates including humans. Serotonin clearance by lymphocytes is Na+-dependent and inhibited by the serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor paroxetine (Paxil®), indicative of active uptake by serotonin transporters. Moreover, reductions in serotonin uptake rates are evident in lymphocytes from monkeys with one or two copies of the short ‘s’ allele of the rh5-HTTLPR (s/s
doi:10.1021/cn900012y
PMCID: PMC2843923
PMID: 20352073
Serotonin transporter; promoter polymorphism; nonhuman primate; peripheral blood mononuclear cells; chronoamperometry; voltammetry; boron-doped diamond; carbon fiber microelectrode
Uptake resolved by high-speed chronoamperometry on a second-by-second basis has revealed important differences in brain serotonin transporter function associated with genetic variability. Here, we use chronoamperometry to investigate variations in serotonin transport in primary lymphocytes associated with the rhesus serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphism (rh5-HTTLPR), a promoter polymorphism whose orthologues occur only in higher order primates including humans. Serotonin clearance by lymphocytes is Na+-dependent and inhibited by the serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor paroxetine (Paxil), indicative of active uptake by serotonin transporters. Moreover, reductions in serotonin uptake rates are evident in lymphocytes from monkeys with one or two copies of the short ‘s’ allele of the rh5-HTTLPR (s/s < s/l < l/l). These findings illustrate that rh5-HTTLPR-related alterations in serotonin uptake are present during adulthood in peripheral blood cells natively expressing serotonin transporters. Moreover, they suggest that lymphocytes can be used as peripheral biomarkers for investigating genetic or pharmacologic alterations in serotonin transporter function. Use of boron-doped diamond microelectrodes for measuring serotonin uptake, in contrast to carbon fiber microelectrodes used previously in the brain, enabled these high-sensitivity and high-resolution measurements. Boron-doped diamond microelectrodes show excellent signal-to-noise and signal-to-background ratios due mainly to low background currents and are highly resistant to fouling when exposed to lymphocytes or high concentrations of serotonin.
doi:10.1021/cn900012y
PMCID: PMC2843923
PMID: 20352073
Serotonin transporter; promoter polymorphism; nonhuman primate; peripheral blood mononuclear cells; chronoamperometry; voltammetry; carbon fiber microelectrode
OBJECTIVE
We tested the primary hypotheses that sphingolipid and diacylglycerol (DAG) content is higher within insulin-resistant muscle and that the association between intramyocellular triglycerides (IMTG) and insulin resistance is muscle fiber type specific.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
A nested case-control analysis was conducted in 22 obese (BMI >30 kg/m2) women who were classified as insulin-resistant (IR; n = 12) or insulin-sensitive (IS; n = 10), determined by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (>30% greater in IS compared with IR, P < 0.01). Sphingolipid and DAG content was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Fiber type–specific IMTG content was histologically determined. Gene expression was determined by quantitative PCR.
RESULTS
Total (555 ± 53 vs. 293 ± 54 pmol/mg protein, P = 0.004), saturated (361 ± 29 vs. 179 ± 34 pmol/mg protein, P = 0.001), and unsaturated (198 ± 29 vs. 114 ± 21 pmol/mg protein, P = 0.034) ceramides were higher in IR compared with IS. DAG concentrations, however, were similar. IMTG content within type I myocytes, but not type II myocytes, was higher in IR compared with IS subjects (P = 0.005). Insulin sensitivity was negatively correlated with IMTG within type I myocytes (R = −0.51, P = 0.026), but not with IMTG within type II myocytes. The proportion of type I myocytes was lower (41 vs. 59%, P < 0.01) in IR subjects. Several genes involved in lipid droplet and fatty acid metabolism were differentially expressed in IR compared with IS subjects.
CONCLUSIONS
Human skeletal muscle insulin resistance is related to greater IMTG content in type I but not type II myocytes, to greater ceramide content, and to alterations in gene expression associated with lipid metabolism.
doi:10.2337/db09-0988
PMCID: PMC2797948
PMID: 19833891
SUMMARY
In studies employing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), reactivity of the amygdala to threat-related sensory cues (viz., facial displays of negative emotion) has been found to correlate positively with interindividual variability in testosterone levels of women and young men and to increase on acute administration of exogenous testosterone. Many of the biological actions of testosterone are mediated by intracellular androgen receptors (ARs), which exert transcriptional control of androgen-dependent genes and are expressed in various regions of the brain, including the amygdala. Transactivation potential of the AR decreases (yielding relative androgen insensitivity) with expansion a polyglutamine stretch in the N-terminal domain of the AR protein, as encoded by a trinucleotide (CAG) repeat polymorphism in exon 1 of the X-chromosome AR gene. Here we examined whether amygdala reactivity to threat-related facial expressions (fear, anger) differs as a function of AR CAG length variation and endogenous (salivary) testosterone in a mid-life sample of 41 healthy men (mean age = 45.6 yr, range: 34–54 yr; CAG repeats, range: 19–29). Testosterone correlated inversely with participant age (r = −0.39, p = 0.012) and positively with number of CAG repeats (r = 0.45, p = 0.003). In partial correlations adjusted for testosterone level, reactivity in the ventral amygdala was lowest among men with largest number of CAG repeats. This inverse association was seen in both the right (rp = −0.34, p<0.05) and left (rp = −0.32, p<0.05) hemisphere. Activation of dorsal amygdala, correlated positively with individual differences in salivary testosterone, also in right (r = 0.40, p<0.02) and left (r = 0.32, p<0.05) hemisphere, but was not affected by number of CAG repeats. Hence, androgenic influences on threat-related reactivity in the ventral amygdala may be moderated partially by CAG length variation in the AR gene. Because individual differences in salivary testosterone also predicted dorsal amygdala reactivity and did so independently of CAG repeats, it is suggested that androgenic influences within this anatomically distinct region may be mediated, in part, by non-genomic or AR-independent mechanisms.
doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.04.013
PMCID: PMC2825741
PMID: 19493626
testosterone; androgen receptor; CAG repeat polymorphism; fMRI; amygdala; facial expressions of emotion
Objective
The risk/benefit ratio of pharmacotherapy for behavioral symptoms of dementia is questionable: second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are poorly tolerated, and efficacy of alternative treatments, e.g. selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), is uncertain. Biomarkers of treatment response may improve this risk/benefit ratio. The length polymorphism of the serotonin transporter promoter gene (5-HTTLPR/SLC6A4) may moderate tolerability of SSRIs and expression of behavioral symptoms in dementia.
Methods
We assessed the effect of 5-HTTLPR on tolerability and efficacy of citalopram and risperidone in a 12-week randomized controlled trial which included non-depressed patients with dementia hospitalized for behavioral or psychotic symptoms. Genotypes including the A/G polymorphism of the L allele (rs25531) were determined for 92/103 participants. We used pattern-mixture models to account for dropout.
Results
Low-expression alleles (S and Lg) predicted greater early and overall side effects of citalopram and early treatment discontinuation, These results held after excluding African-American participants and in covariate analyses. Unexpectedly, low-expression alleles seemed to predict greater early side effects of risperidone (but not early discontinuation) and poorer early response of psychosis symptoms to risperidone.
Conclusion
5-HTTLPR may be a useful biomarker of SSRI intolerance in dementia. Our findings of intolerance of an SGA and persistence of psychosis in patients with low-expression alleles needs to be replicated.
doi:10.1097/YIC.0b013e328333ee10
PMCID: PMC2887732
PMID: 19996755
Dementia; Psychomotor Agitation; Psychotic Disorders; Antipsychotics; risperidone; Antidepressive Agents; Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; citalopram; 5-HTTLPR protein; human
OBJECTIVE
Haptoglobin (Hp) binds free Hb, inhibiting Hb-induced oxidative damage. As oxidative stress has been associated with microvascular complications, we evaluated the relationship between Hp genotype and microalbuminuria, macroalbuminuria, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and early renal function decline in type 1 diabetes.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Participants from the Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study with DNA available were studied for the incidence of microalbuminuria (albumin excretion rate [AER] 20–200 μg/min), macroalbuminuria (AER >200 μg/min), ESRD (renal dialysis or transplantation), and renal function decline (a decline ≥30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 from baseline estimated [by the Cockcroft-Gault equation] glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] in those with baseline eGFR >60 ml/min per 1.73 m2).
RESULTS
The proportions with the Hp 2/2, 2/1, and 1/1 genotype were 43.4, 44.4, and 12.1%, respectively. During 18 years of follow-up, the incidence of eGFR decline, microalbuminuria, macroalbuminuria, and ESRD was 42.0, 40.5, 16.7, and 12.2%, respectively. No significant univariate differences were observed by Hp genotype. However, in multivariable Cox models, an ∼twofold increased risk was observed for the Hp 2/2 compared with the Hp 1/1 genotype for eGFR decline (hazard ratio 1.79 [95% CI 1.06–3.00]) and ESRD (2.74 [1.17–6.45]); no significant associations were observed for microalbuminuria or macroalbuminuria.
CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that although Hp genotype is not associated with albuminuria per se, it may be an independent determinant of early renal function decline and progression to ESRD. Understanding these apparent contradictory findings may provide further insight into the pathogenesis of renal disease in type 1 diabetes.
doi:10.2337/db09-0874
PMCID: PMC2780877
PMID: 19720796
Results 1-25 (61)
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