Title: Genome-wide association studies identify CHRNA5/3 and HTR4 in the development of airflow obstruction.

Authors: Wilk, Jemma B; Shrine, Nick R G; Loehr, Laura R; Zhao, Jing Hua; Manichaikul, Ani; Lopez, Lorna M; Smith, Albert Vernon; Heckbert, Susan R; Smolonska, Joanna; Tang, Wenbo; Loth, Daan W; Curjuric, Ivan; Hui, Jennie; Cho, Michael H; Latourelle, Jeanne C; Henry, Amanda P; Aldrich, Melinda; Bakke, Per; Beaty, Terri H; Bentley, Amy R; Borecki, Ingrid B; Brusselle, Guy G; Burkart, Kristin M; Chen, Ting-hsu; Couper, David; Crapo, James D; Davies, Gail; Dupuis, Josée; Franceschini, Nora; Gulsvik, Amund; Hancock, Dana B; Harris, Tamara B; Hofman, Albert; Imboden, Medea; James, Alan L; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Lahousse, Lies; Launer, Lenore J; Litonjua, Augusto; Liu, Yongmei; Lohman, Kurt K; Lomas, David A; Lumley, Thomas; Marciante, Kristin D; McArdle, Wendy L; Meibohm, Bernd; Morrison, Alanna C; Musk, Arthur W; Myers, Richard H; North, Kari E; Postma, Dirkje S; Psaty, Bruce M; Rich, Stephen S; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Rochat, Thierry; Rotter, Jerome I; Soler Artigas, María; Starr, John M; Uitterlinden, André G; Wareham, Nicholas J; Wijmenga, Cisca; Zanen, Pieter; Province, Michael A; Silverman, Edwin K; Deary, Ian J; Palmer, Lyle J; Cassano, Patricia A; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Barr, R Graham; Loos, Ruth J F; Strachan, David P; London, Stephanie J; Boezen, H Marike; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Gharib, Sina A; Hall, Ian P; O'Connor, George T; Tobin, Martin D; Stricker, Bruno H

Published In Am J Respir Crit Care Med, (2012 Oct 01)

Abstract: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified loci influencing lung function, but fewer genes influencing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are known.Perform meta-analyses of GWAS for airflow obstruction, a key pathophysiologic characteristic of COPD assessed by spirometry, in population-based cohorts examining all participants, ever smokers, never smokers, asthma-free participants, and more severe cases.Fifteen cohorts were studied for discovery (3,368 affected; 29,507 unaffected), and a population-based family study and a meta-analysis of case-control studies were used for replication and regional follow-up (3,837 cases; 4,479 control subjects). Airflow obstruction was defined as FEV(1) and its ratio to FVC (FEV(1)/FVC) both less than their respective lower limits of normal as determined by published reference equations.The discovery meta-analyses identified one region on chromosome 15q25.1 meeting genome-wide significance in ever smokers that includes AGPHD1, IREB2, and CHRNA5/CHRNA3 genes. The region was also modestly associated among never smokers. Gene expression studies confirmed the presence of CHRNA5/3 in lung, airway smooth muscle, and bronchial epithelial cells. A single-nucleotide polymorphism in HTR4, a gene previously related to FEV(1)/FVC, achieved genome-wide statistical significance in combined meta-analysis. Top single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ADAM19, RARB, PPAP2B, and ADAMTS19 were nominally replicated in the COPD meta-analysis.These results suggest an important role for the CHRNA5/3 region as a genetic risk factor for airflow obstruction that may be independent of smoking and implicate the HTR4 gene in the etiology of airflow obstruction.

PubMed ID: 22837378

MeSH Terms: No MeSH terms associated with this publication