Genome-wide linkage analysis of 972 bipolar pedigrees using single-nucleotide polymorphisms.

Because of the high costs associated with ascertainment of families, most linkage studies of Bipolar I disorder (BPI) have used relatively small samples. Moreover, the genetic information content reported in most studies has been less than 0.6. Although microsatellite markers spaced every 10 cM typically extract most of the genetic information content for larger multiplex families, they can be less informative for smaller pedigrees especially for affected sib pair kindreds. For these reasons we collaborated to pool family resources and carried out higher density genotyping. Approximately 1100 pedigrees of European ancestry were initially selected for study and were genotyped by the Center for Inherited Disease Research using the Illumina Linkage Panel 12 set of 6090 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Of the ~1100 families, 972 were informative for further analyses, and mean information content was 0.86 after pruning for linkage disequilibrium. The 972 kindreds include 2284 cases of BPI disorder, 498 individuals with bipolar II disorder (BPII) and 702 subjects with recurrent major depression. Three affection status models (ASMs) were considered: ASM1 (BPI and schizoaffective disorder, BP cases (SABP) only), ASM2 (ASM1 cases plus BPII) and ASM3 (ASM2 cases plus recurrent major depression). Both parametric and non-parametric linkage methods were carried out. The strongest findings occurred at 6q21 (non-parametric pairs LOD 3.4 for rs1046943 at 119 cM) and 9q21 (non-parametric pairs logarithm of odds (LOD) 3.4 for rs722642 at 78 cM) using only BPI and schizoaffective (SA), BP cases. Both results met genome-wide significant criteria, although neither was significant after correction for multiple analyses. We also inspected parametric scores for the larger multiplex families to identify possible rare susceptibility loci. In this analysis, we observed 59 parametric LODs of 2 or greater, many of which are likely to be close to maximum possible scores. Although some linkage findings may be false positives, the results could help prioritize the search for rare variants using whole exome or genome sequencing

Genome-wide association study identifies loci associated with liability to alcohol and drug dependence that is associated with variability in reward-related ventral striatum activity in African- and European-Americans.

Genetic influences on alcohol and drug dependence partially overlap, however, specific loci underlying this overlap remain unclear. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of a phenotype representing alcohol or illicit drug dependence (ANYDEP) among 7291 European-Americans (EA; 2927 cases) and 3132 African-Americans (AA: 1315 cases) participating in the family-based Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism. ANYDEP was heritable (h 2 in EA = 0.60, AA = 0.37). The AA GWAS identified three regions with genome-wide significant (GWS; P < 5E-08) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosomes 3 (rs34066662, rs58801820) and 13 (rs75168521, rs78886294), and an insertion-deletion on chromosome 5 (chr5:141988181). No polymorphisms reached GWS in the EA. One GWS region (chromosome 1: rs1890881) emerged from a trans-ancestral meta-analysis (EA + AA) of ANYDEP, and was attributable to alcohol dependence in both samples. Four genes (AA: CRKL, DZIP3, SBK3; EA: P2RX6) and four sets of genes were significantly enriched within biological pathways for hemostasis and signal transduction. GWS signals did not replicate in two independent samples but there was weak evidence for association between rs1890881 and alcohol intake in the UK Biobank. Among 118 AA and 481 EA individuals from the Duke Neurogenetics Study, rs75168521 and rs1890881 genotypes were associated with variability in reward-related ventral striatum activation. This study identified novel loci for substance dependence and provides preliminary evidence that these variants are also associated with individual differences in neural reward reactivity. Gene discovery efforts in non-European samples with distinct patterns of substance use may lead to the identification of novel ancestry-specific genetic markers of risk

Alteration of gene expression by alcohol exposure at early neurulation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We have previously demonstrated that alcohol exposure at early neurulation induces growth retardation, neural tube abnormalities, and alteration of DNA methylation. To explore the global gene expression changes which may underline these developmental defects, microarray analyses were performed in a whole embryo mouse culture model that allows control over alcohol and embryonic variables.</p> <p>Result</p> <p>Alcohol caused teratogenesis in brain, heart, forelimb, and optic vesicle; a subset of the embryos also showed cranial neural tube defects. In microarray analysis (accession number GSM9545), adopting hypothesis-driven Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) informatics and intersection analysis of two independent experiments, we found that there was a collective reduction in expression of neural specification genes (neurogenin, <it>Sox5, Bhlhe22</it>), neural growth factor genes [<it>Igf1, Efemp1</it>, <it>Klf10 </it>(<it>Tieg), and Edil3</it>], and alteration of genes involved in cell growth, apoptosis, histone variants, eye and heart development. There was also a reduction of retinol binding protein 1 (<it>Rbp1</it>), and <it>de novo </it>expression of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1B1 (<it>Aldh1B1</it>). Remarkably, four key hematopoiesis genes (glycophorin A, adducin 2, beta-2 microglobulin, and ceruloplasmin) were absent after alcohol treatment, and histone variant genes were reduced. The down-regulation of the neurospecification and the neurotrophic genes were further confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. Furthermore, the gene expression profile demonstrated distinct subgroups which corresponded with two distinct alcohol-related neural tube phenotypes: an open (ALC-NTO) and a closed neural tube (ALC-NTC). Further, the epidermal growth factor signaling pathway and histone variants were specifically altered in ALC-NTO, and a greater number of neurotrophic/growth factor genes were down-regulated in the ALC-NTO than in the ALC-NTC embryos.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study revealed a set of genes vulnerable to alcohol exposure and genes that were associated with neural tube defects during early neurulation.</p

Association of the DRD2 TaqIA, 5-HT1B A-161T, and CNR1 1359 G/A Polymorphisms with Alcohol Dependence

Objective: Alcohol dependence is associated with genetic variants of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes and genes related to dopaminergic, gamma-aminobutyric acidergic, glutamatergic, opioid, cholinergic, and serotonergic systems. Genetic variations in the endogenous cannabinoid system are also involved in alcohol dependence. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between three polymorphisms, DRD2 TaqIA, 5-HT1B A-161T and CNR1 1359 G/A (rs1049353), and alcohol dependence.Methods: One hundred twenty three patients, who were diagnosed as having alcohol dependence according to the DSM-IV criteria and 125 healthy volunteers, were included in the study. With written informed consent, a blood sample was drawn from each individual. Venous blood samples were collected in ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid (EDTA) containing tubes. DNA was extracted from whole blood by the salting out procedure. Genetic analyses were performed as described in the literature by using a Polymerase Chain Reaction method. SPS5 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Results: The DRD2 TaglA polymorphism was analyzed in the study and control groups. In the study group, the All A1 genotype was observed in 5 (4.0%) patients, the A1/A2 genotype was observed in 51 (41.5%) patients and the A2/A2 genotype was observed in 67 (54.5%) patients. In the control group, the A1/A1 genotype was observed in 6 (4.8%) subjects, the A1/A2 genotype was observed in 40 (32.0%) subjects and the A2/A2 genotype was observed in 79 (62.2%) subjects. For the 5-HT1B receptor A-161T gene polymorphism, the A/A genotype was detected in 61(49.6%) patients, the Ail genotype was detected in 53 (43.1%) and the T/T genotype was detected in 9 (7.3%) patients. In the control group, the A/A genotype was detected in 84 (67.2%) subjects, the All genotype was detected in 39 (31.2%) subjects, and the T/T genotype was detected only in 2 (1.6%) subjects. The G/G genotype was the most common genotype in both study and control groups for CNR1 1359 gene polymorphism. It was detected in 75 (61.0%) study patients and in 84 (67.2%) control subjects. The G/A genotype was observed in 39 (31.7%) patients of the study group and 38 (30.4%) subjects of the control group. The A/A genotype was the most rare genotype in both groups; it was detected only in 9 (7.3%) study patients and 3 (2.4%) control subjects. Of the three polymorphisms investigated, 5-HT1B A-1 61T was the only one found to be associated with alcohol dependence.Conclusions: The 5-HT1B receptor A-161T polymorphism might be a promising marker for alcohol dependence

Dissecting the Shared Genetic Architecture of Suicide Attempt, Psychiatric Disorders, and Known Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, and nonfatal suicide attempts, which occur far more frequently, are a major source of disability and social and economic burden. Both have substantial genetic etiology, which is partially shared and partially distinct from that of related psychiatric disorders. METHODS: We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 29,782 suicide attempt (SA) cases and 519,961 controls in the International Suicide Genetics Consortium (ISGC). The GWAS of SA was conditioned on psychiatric disorders using GWAS summary statistics via multitrait-based conditional and joint analysis, to remove genetic effects on SA mediated by psychiatric disorders. We investigated the shared and divergent genetic architectures of SA, psychiatric disorders, and other known risk factors. RESULTS: Two loci reached genome-wide significance for SA: the major histocompatibility complex and an intergenic locus on chromosome 7, the latter of which remained associated with SA after conditioning on psychiatric disorders and replicated in an independent cohort from the Million Veteran Program. This locus has been implicated in risk-taking behavior, smoking, and insomnia. SA showed strong genetic correlation with psychiatric disorders, particularly major depression, and also with smoking, pain, risk-taking behavior, sleep disturbances, lower educational attainment, reproductive traits, lower socioeconomic status, and poorer general health. After conditioning on psychiatric disorders, the genetic correlations between SA and psychiatric disorders decreased, whereas those with nonpsychiatric traits remained largely unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Our results identify a risk locus that contributes more strongly to SA than other phenotypes and suggest a shared underlying biology between SA and known risk factors that is not mediated by psychiatric disorders

Ndd1 Turnover by SCFGrr1 Is Inhibited by the DNA Damage Checkpoint in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

© 2015 Edenberg et al.In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ndd1 is the dedicated transcriptional activator of the mitotic gene cluster, which includes thirty-three genes that encode key mitotic regulators, making Ndd1 a hub for the control of mitosis. Previous wo