The Generation R Study Biobank: a resource for epidemiological studies in children and their parents

The Generation R Study is a population-based prospective cohort study from fetal life until young adulthood. The study is designed to identify early environmental and genetic causes of normal and abnormal growth, development and health from fetal life until young adulthood. In total, 9,778 mothers were enrolled in the study. Prenatal and postnatal data collection is conducted by physical examinations, questionnaires, interviews, ultrasound examinations and biological samples. Major efforts have been conducted for collecting biological specimens including DNA, blood for phenotypes and urine samples. In this paper, the collection, processing and storage of these biological specimens are described. Together with detailed phenotype measurements, these biological specimens form a unique resource for epidemiological studies focused on environmental exposures, genetic determinants and their interactions in relation to growth, health and development from fetal life onwards

The MSX1 allele 4 homozygous child exposed to smoking at periconception is most sensitive in developing nonsyndromic orofacial clefts

Nonsyndromic orofacial clefts (OFC) are common birth defects caused by certain genes interacting with environmental factors. Mutations and association studies indicate that the homeobox gene MSX1 plays a role in human clefting. In a Dutch case-control triad study (mother, father, and child), we investigated interactions between MSX1 and the parents' periconceptional lifestyle in relation to the risk of OFC in their offspring. We s

The Generation R Study: design and cohort update 2010

The Generation R Study is a population-based prospective cohort study from fetal life until young adulthood. The study is designed to identify early environmental and genetic causes of normal and abnormal growth, development and health during fetal life, childhood and adulthood. The study focuses on four primary areas of research: (1) growth and physical development; (2) behavioural and cognitive development; (3) diseases in childhood; and (4) health and healthcare for pregnant women and children. In total, 9,778 mothers with a delivery date from April 2002 until January 2006 were enrolled in the study. General follow-up rates until the age of 4 years exceed 75%. Data collection in mothers, fathers and preschool children included questionnaires, detailed physical and ultrasound examinations, behavioural observations, and biological samples. A genome wide association screen is available in the participating children. Regular detailed hands on assessment are performed from the age of 5 years onwards. Eventually, results forthcoming from the Generation R Study have to contribute to the development of strategies for optimizing health and healthcare for pregnant women and children

Rare genetic variant in SORL1 may increase penetrance of Alzheimer's disease in a family with several generations of APOE-ϵ4 homozygosity

Background: The major genetic risk factor for late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is theAPOE-ϵ4 allele. However,APOE-ϵ4 homozygosity is not fully penetrant, suggesting co-occurrence of additional genetic variants. Objective: To identify genetic factors that, next to APOE-ϵ4 homozygosity, contribute to the development of AD. Methods: We identified a family with nine AD patients spanning four generations, with an inheritance pattern suggestive of autosomal dominant AD, with no variants in PSEN1, PSEN2, or APP. We collected DNA from four affected and seven unaffected family members and performed exome sequencing on DNA from three affected and one unaffected family members. Results: All affected family members were homozygous for the APOE-ϵ4 allele. Statistical analysis revealed that AD onset in this family was significantly earlier than could be expected based on APOE genotype and gender. Next to APOE-ϵ4 homozygosity, we found that all four affected family members carried a rare variant in the VPS10 domain of the SORL1 gene, associated with APP processing and AD risk. Furthermore, three of four affected family members carried a rare variant in the TSHZ3 gene, also associated with APP processing. Affected family members presented between 61 and 74 years, with variable presence of microbleeds/cerebral amyloid angiopathy and electroencephalographic abnormalities. 1These authors contributed equally to this work. Conclusion:We hypothesize that next to APOE-ϵ4 homozygosity, impaired SORL1 protein function, and possibly impaired TSHZ3 function, further disturbed Aprocessing. The convergence of these genetic factors over several generations might clarify the increased AD penetrance and the autosomal dominant-like inheritance pattern of AD as observed in this family

Rare Genetic Variant in SORL1 May Increase Penetrance of Alzheimer's Disease in a Family with Several Generations of APOE-ɛ4 Homozygosity

BACKGROUND: The major genetic risk factor for late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the APOE-ɛ4 allele. However, APOE-ɛ4 homozygosity is not fully penetrant, suggesting co-occurrence of additional genetic variants. OBJECTIVE: To identify genetic factors that, next to APOE-ɛ4 homozygosity, contribute to the development of AD. METHODS: We identified a family with nine AD patients spanning four generations, with an inheritance pattern suggestive of autosomal dominant AD, with no variants in PSEN1, PSEN2, or APP. We collected DNA from four affected and seven unaffected family members and performed exome sequencing on DNA from three affected and one unaffected family members. RESULTS: All affected family members were homozygous for the APOE-ɛ4 allele. Statistical analysis revealed that AD onset in this family was significantly earlier than could be expected based on APOE genotype and gender. Next to APOE-ɛ4 homozygosity, we found that all four affected family members carried a rare variant in the VPS10 domain of the SORL1 gene, associated with AβPP processing and AD risk. Furthermore, three of four affected family members carried a rare variant in the TSHZ3 gene, also associated with AβPP processing. Affected family members presented between 61 and 74 years, with variable presence of microbleeds/cerebral amyloid angiopathy and electroencephalographic abnormalities. CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that next to APOE-ɛ4 homozygosity, impaired SORL1 protein function, and possibly impaired TSHZ3 function, further disturbed Aβ processing. The convergence of these genetic factors over several generations might clarify the increased AD penetrance and the autosomal dominant-like inheritance pattern of AD as observed in this family

A pharmacogenetic analysis of determinants of hypertension and blood pressure response to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy in patients with vascular disease and healthy individuals

AIMS: To investigate whether genetic variation in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and kallikrein-bradykinin pathways is related to hypertension and blood pressure (BP) response to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 8907 stable CAD patients from the EUROPA trial, 52 haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 12 candidate genes within the RAAS and kallikrein-bradykinin pathways were investigated for association with hypertension (defined as BP ≥160/95 mmHg or use of antihypertensives) and BP response to ACE inhibitors, during a 4-week run-in period. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index and creatinine clearance and corrected for multiple testing. RESULTS: Hypertension was present in 28.3% of the patients (n = 2526); median BP reduction after perindopril was 10/4 mmHg. Four polymorphisms, located in the ACE (rs4291), angiotensinogen (rs5049) and (pro)renin receptor (rs2968915; rs5981008) genes were significantly associated with hypertension in two vascular disease populations of CAD (EUROPA) and cerebrovascular disease (PROGRESS; n = 3571). A cumulative profile demonstrated a stepwise increase in the prevalence of hypertension, mounting to a 2-3-fold increase (P for trend <0.001). Similar associations on hypertension were observed for angiotensinogen in a healthy population (n = 2197). In addition, genetic polymorphisms were identified that significantly modified the BP reduction by ACE inhibitor therapy; however, the observed BP differences were small and did not remain significant after permutation analysis. CONCLUSION: This large genetic association study identified genetic determinants of hypertension in three cohorts of patients with vascular disease and healthy individuals

Genetic determinants of treatment benefit of the angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitor perindopril in patients with stable coronary artery disease

Aims The efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitors in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) may be increased by targeting the therapy to those patients most likely to benefit. However, these patients cannot be identified by clinical characteristics. We developed a genetic profile to predict the treatment benefit of ACE-inhibitors exist and to optimize therapy with ACE-inhibitors. Methods and resultsIn 8907 stable CAD patients participating in the randomized placebo-controlled EUROPA-trial, we analysed 12 candidate genes within the pharmacodynamic pathway of ACE-inhibitors, using 52 haplotype-tagging-single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The primary outcome was the reduction in cardiovascular mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and resuscitated cardiac arrest during 4.2 years of follow-up. Multivariate Cox regression was performed with multiple testing corrections using permutation analysis. Three polymorphisms, located in the angiotensin-II type I receptor and bradykinin type I receptor genes, were significantly associated with the treatment benefit of perindopril after multivariate adjustment for confounders and correction for multiple testing. A pharmacogenetic score, combining these three SNPs, demonstrated a stepwise reduction of risk in the placebo group and a stepwise decrease in treatment benefit of perindopril with an increasing scores (interaction P < 0.0001). A pronounced treatment benefit was observed in a subgroup of 73.5 of the patients [hazard ratio (HR) 0.67; 95 confidence interval (CI) 0.56-0.79], whereas no benefit was apparent in the remaining 26.5 (HR 1.26; 95 CI 0.97-1.67) with a trend towards a harmful effe