Browsing by Author "Duffy, David L."

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Cell-type-specific eQTL of primary melanocytes facilitates identification of melanoma susceptibility genes
    (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2018-11) Zhang, Tongwu; Choi, Jiyeon; Kovacs, Michael A.; Shi, Jianxin; Xu, Mai; Goldstein, Alisa M.; Trower, Adam J.; Bishop, D. Timothy; Iles, Mark M.; Duffy, David L.; MacGregor, Stuart; Amundadottir, Laufey T.; Law, Matthew H.; Loftus, Stacie K.; Pavan, William J.; Brown, Kevin M.; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    Most expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) studies to date have been performed in heterogeneous tissues as opposed to specific cell types. To better understand the cell-type-specific regulatory landscape of human melanocytes, which give rise to melanoma but account for <5% of typical human skin biopsies, we performed an eQTL analysis in primary melanocyte cultures from 106 newborn males. We identified 597,335 cis-eQTL SNPs prior to linkage disequilibrium (LD) pruning and 4997 eGenes (FDR < 0.05). Melanocyte eQTLs differed considerably from those identified in the 44 GTEx tissue types, including skin. Over a third of melanocyte eGenes, including key genes in melanin synthesis pathways, were unique to melanocytes compared to those of GTEx skin tissues or TCGA melanomas. The melanocyte data set also identified trans-eQTLs, including those connecting a pigmentation-associated functional SNP with four genes, likely through cis-regulation of IRF4 Melanocyte eQTLs are enriched in cis-regulatory signatures found in melanocytes as well as in melanoma-associated variants identified through genome-wide association studies. Melanocyte eQTLs also colocalized with melanoma GWAS variants in five known loci. Finally, a transcriptome-wide association study using melanocyte eQTLs uncovered four novel susceptibility loci, where imputed expression levels of five genes (ZFP90, HEBP1, MSC, CBWD1, and RP11-383H13.1) were associated with melanoma at genome-wide significant P-values. Our data highlight the utility of lineage-specific eQTL resources for annotating GWAS findings, and present a robust database for genomic research of melanoma risk and melanocyte biology.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Genetics of skin color variation in Europeans: genome-wide association studies with functional follow-up
    (Springer, 2015-08) Liu, Fan; Duffy, David L.; Hysi, Pirro G.; Jacobs, Leonie C.; Lao, Oscar; Zhong, Kaiyin; Walsh, Susan; Chaitanya, Lakshmi; Wollstein, Andreas; Zhu, Gu; Montgomery, Grant W.; Henders, Anjali K.; Mangino, Massimo; Glass, Daniel; Bataille, Veronique; Sturm, Richard A.; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Hofman, Albert; van IJcken, Wilfred F. J.; Uitterlinden, André G.; Palstra, Robert‑Jan T. S.; Spector, Timothy D.; Department of Biology, School of Science
    In the International Visible Trait Genetics (VisiGen) Consortium, we investigated the genetics of human skin color by combining a series of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in a total of 17,262 Europeans with functional follow-up of discovered loci. Our GWAS provide the first genome-wide significant evidence for chromosome 20q11.22 harboring the ASIP gene being explicitly associated with skin color in Europeans. In addition, genomic loci at 5p13.2 (SLC45A2), 6p25.3 (IRF4), 15q13.1 (HERC2/OCA2), and 16q24.3 (MC1R) were confirmed to be involved in skin coloration in Europeans. In follow-up gene expression and regulation studies of 22 genes in 20q11.22, we highlighted two novel genes EIF2S2 and GSS, serving as competing functional candidates in this region and providing future research lines. A genetically inferred skin color score obtained from the 9 top-associated SNPs from 9 genes in 940 worldwide samples (HGDP-CEPH) showed a clear gradual pattern in Western Eurasians similar to the distribution of physical skin color, suggesting the used 9 SNPs as suitable markers for DNA prediction of skin color in Europeans and neighboring populations, relevant in future forensic and anthropological investigations.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Genome-wide association studies identify multiple genetic loci influencing eyebrow color variation in Europeans
    (Elsevier, 2019) Peng, Fuduan; Zhu, Gu; Hysi, Pirro G.; Eller, Ryan J.; Chen, Yan; Li, Yi; Hamer, Merel A.; Zeng, Changqing; Hopkins, Racquel L.; Jacobus, Case L.; Wallace, Paige L.; Uitterlinden, André G.; Ikram, M. Arfan; Duffy, David L.; Nijsten, Tamar; Medland, Sarah E.; Spector, Timothy D.; Walsh, Susan; Martin, Nicholas G.; Liu, Fan; Kayser, Manfred; Biology, School of Science
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Genome-wide association study identifies 48 common genetic variants associated with handedness
    (Springer Nature, 2021) Cuellar-Partida, Gabriel; Tung, Joyce Y.; Eriksson, Nicholas; Albrecht, Eva; Aliev, Fazil; Andreassen, Ole A.; Barroso, Inês; Beckmann, Jacques S.; Boks, Marco P.; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Boyd, Heather A.; Breteler, Monique M. B.; Campbell, Harry; Chasman, Daniel I.; Cherkas, Lynn F.; Davies, Gail; de Geus, Eco J. C.; Deary, Ian J.; Deloukas, Panos; Dick, Danielle M.; Duffy, David L.; Eriksson, Johan G.; Esko, Tõnu; Feenstra, Bjarke; Geller, Frank; Gieger, Christian; Giegling, Ina; Gordon, Scott D.; Han, Jiali; Hansen, Thomas F.; Hartmann, Annette M.; Hayward, Caroline; Heikkilä, Kauko; Hicks, Andrew A.; Hirschhorn, Joel N.; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Huffman, Jennifer E.; Hwang, Liang-Dar; Ikram, M. Arfan; Kaprio, Jaakko; Kemp, John P.; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Klopp, Norman; Konte, Bettina; Kutalik, Zoltan; Lahti, Jari; Li, Xin; Loos, Ruth J. F.; Luciano, Michelle; Magnusson, Sigurdur H.; Mangino, Massimo; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Martin, Nicholas G.; McArdle, Wendy L.; McCarthy, Mark I.; Medina-Gomez, Carolina; Melbye, Mads; Melville, Scott A.; Metspalu, Andres; Milani, Lili; Mooser, Vincent; Nelis, Mari; Nyholt, Dale R.; O'Connell, Kevin S.; Ophoff, Roel A.; Palmer, Cameron; Palotie, Aarno; Palviainen, Teemu; Pare, Guillaume; Paternoster, Lavinia; Peltonen, Leena; Penninx, Brenda W. J. H.; Polasek, Ozren; Pramstaller, Peter P.; Prokopenko, Inga; Raikkonen, Katri; Ripatti, Samuli; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Rudan, Igor; Rujescu, Dan; Smit, Johannes H.; Smith, George Davey; Smoller, Jordan W.; Soranzo, Nicole; Spector, Tim D.; St. Pourcain, Beate; Starr, John M.; Stefánsson, Hreinn; Steinberg, Stacy; Teder-Laving, Maris; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Stefánsson, Kári; Timpson, Nicholas J.; Uitterlinden, André G.; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; van Rooij, Frank J. A.; Vink, Jaqueline M.; Vollenweider, Peter; Vuoksimaa, Eero; Waeber, Gérard; Wareham, Nicholas J.; Warrington, Nicole; Waterworth, Dawn; Werge, Thomas; Wichmann, H-Erich; Widen, Elisabeth; Willemsen, Gonneke; Wright, Alan F.; Wright, Margaret J.; Xu, Mousheng; Zhao, Jing Hua; Kraft, Peter; Hinds, David A.; Lindgren, Cecilia M.; Mägi, Reedik; Neale, Benjamin M.; Evans, David M.; Medland, Sarah E.; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    Handedness has been extensively studied because of its relationship with language and the over-representation of left-handers in some neurodevelopmental disorders. Using data from the UK Biobank, 23andMe and the International Handedness Consortium, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of handedness (N = 1,766,671). We found 41 loci associated (P < 5 × 10-8) with left-handedness and 7 associated with ambidexterity. Tissue-enrichment analysis implicated the CNS in the aetiology of handedness. Pathways including regulation of microtubules and brain morphology were also highlighted. We found suggestive positive genetic correlations between left-handedness and neuropsychiatric traits, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Furthermore, the genetic correlation between left-handedness and ambidexterity is low (rG = 0.26), which implies that these traits are largely influenced by different genetic mechanisms. Our findings suggest that handedness is highly polygenic and that the genetic variants that predispose to left-handedness may underlie part of the association with some psychiatric disorders.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Genome-wide association study in 176,678 Europeans reveals genetic loci for tanning response to sun exposure
    (Nature Publishing Group, 2018-05-08) Visconti, Alessia; Duffy, David L.; Liu, Fan; Zhu, Gu; Wu, Wenting; Chen, Yan; Hysi, Pirro G.; Zeng, Changqing; Sanna, Marianna; Iles, Mark M.; Kanetsky, Peter A.; Demenais, Florence; Hamer, Merel A.; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Ikram, M. Arfan; Nijsten, Tamar; Martin, Nicholas G.; Kayser, Manfred; Spector, Tim D.; Han, Jiali; Bataille, Veronique; Falchi, Mario; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    The skin's tendency to sunburn rather than tan is a major risk factor for skin cancer. Here we report a large genome-wide association study of ease of skin tanning in 176,678 subjects of European ancestry. We identify significant association with tanning ability at 20 loci. We confirm previously identified associations at six of these loci, and report 14 novel loci, of which ten have never been associated with pigmentation-related phenotypes. Our results also suggest that variants at the AHR/AGR3 locus, previously associated with cutaneous malignant melanoma the underlying mechanism of which is poorly understood, might act on disease risk through modulation of tanning ability.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Genome-wide association study in almost 195,000 individuals identifies 50 previously unidentified genetic loci for eye color
    (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2021-03-10) Simcoe, Mark; Valdes, Ana; Liu, Fan; Furlotte, Nicholas A.; Evans, David M.; Hemani, Gibran; Ring, Susan M.; Smith, George Davey; Duffy, David L.; Zhu, Gu; Gordon, Scott D.; Medland, Sarah E.; Vuckovic, Dragana; Girotto, Giorgia; Sala, Cinzia; Catamo, Eulalia; Concas, Maria Pina; Brumat, Marco; Gasparini, Paolo; Toniolo, Daniela; Cocca, Massimiliano; Robino, Antonietta; Yazar, Seyhan; Hewitt, Alex; Wu, Wenting; Kraft, Peter; Hammond, Christopher J.; Shi, Yuan; Chen, Yan; Zeng, Changqing; Klaver, Caroline C. W.; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Ikram, M. Arfan; Hamer, Merel A.; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; Nijsten, Tamar; Han, Jiali; Mackey, David A.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Cheng, Ching-Yu; 23andMe Research Team; International Visible Trait Genetics Consortium; Hinds, David A.; Spector, Timothy D.; Kayser, Manfred; Hysi, Pirro G.; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    Human eye color is highly heritable, but its genetic architecture is not yet fully understood. We report the results of the largest genome-wide association study for eye color to date, involving up to 192,986 European participants from 10 populations. We identify 124 independent associations arising from 61 discrete genomic regions, including 50 previously unidentified. We find evidence for genes involved in melanin pigmentation, but we also find associations with genes involved in iris morphology and structure. Further analyses in 1636 Asian participants from two populations suggest that iris pigmentation variation in Asians is genetically similar to Europeans, albeit with smaller effect sizes. Our findings collectively explain 53.2% (95% confidence interval, 45.4 to 61.0%) of eye color variation using common single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Overall, our study outcomes demonstrate that the genetic complexity of human eye color considerably exceeds previous knowledge and expectations, highlighting eye color as a genetically highly complex human trait.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Identification of a melanoma susceptibility locus and somatic mutation in TET2
    (Oxford University Press, 2014-09) Song, Fengju; Amos, Christopher I.; Lee, Jeffrey E.; Lian, Christine G.; Fang, Shenying; Liu, Hongliang; MacGregor, Stuart; Iles, Mark M.; Law, Matthew H.; Lindeman, Neil I.; Montgomery, Grant W.; Duffy, David L.; Cust, Anne E.; Jenkins, Mark A.; Whiteman, David C.; Kefford, Richard F.; Giles, Graham G.; Armstrong, Bruce K.; Aitken, Joanne F.; Hopper, John L.; Brown, Kevin M.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Mann, Graham J.; Bishop, D. Timothy; Bishop, Julia A. Newton; Kraft, Peter; Qureshi, Abrar A.; Kanetsky, Peter A.; Hayward, Nicholas K.; Hunter, David J.; Wei, Qingyi; Han, Jiali; Department of Epidemiology, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health
    Although genetic studies have reported a number of loci associated with melanoma risk, the complex genetic architecture of the disease is not yet fully understood. We sought to identify common genetic variants associated with melanoma risk in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 2298 cases and 6654 controls. Thirteen of 15 known loci were replicated with nominal significance. A total of 69 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected for in silico replication in two independent melanoma GWAS datasets (a total of 5149 cases and 12 795 controls). Seven novel loci were nominally significantly associated with melanoma risk. These seven SNPs were further genotyped in 234 melanoma cases and 238 controls. The SNP rs4698934 was nominally significantly associated with melanoma risk. The combined odds ratio per T allele = 1.18; 95% confidence interval (1.10-1.25); combined P = 7.70 × 10(-) (7). This SNP is located in the intron of the TET2 gene on chromosome 4q24. In addition, a novel somatic mutation of TET2 was identified by next-generation sequencing in 1 of 22 sporadic melanoma cases. TET2 encodes a member of TET family enzymes that oxidizes 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). It is a putative epigenetic biomarker of melanoma as we previously reported, with observation of reduced TET2 transcriptional expression. This study is the first to implicate TET2 genetic variation and mutation in melanoma.