Multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of Parkinson?s disease

Although over 90 independent risk variants have been identified for Parkinson’s disease using genome-wide association studies, most studies have been performed in just one population at a time. Here we performed a large-scale multi-ancestry meta-analysis of Parkinson’s disease with 49,049 cases, 18,785 proxy cases and 2,458,063 controls including individuals of European, East Asian, Latin American and African ancestry. In a meta-analysis, we identified 78 independent genome-wide significant loci, including 12 potentially novel loci (MTF2, PIK3CA, ADD1, SYBU, IRS2, USP8, PIGL, FASN, MYLK2, USP25, EP300 and PPP6R2) and fine-mapped 6 putative causal variants at 6 known PD loci. By combining our results with publicly available eQTL data, we identified 25 putative risk genes in these novel loci whose expression is associated with PD risk. This work lays the groundwork for future efforts aimed at identifying PD loci in non-European populations

Dissecting the role of Amerindian genetic ancestry and the ApoE ε4 allele on Alzheimer disease in an admixed Peruvian population

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly and occurs in all ethnic and racial groups. The apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4 is the most significant genetic risk factor for late-onset AD and shows the strongest effect among East Asian populations followed by non-Hispanic white populations and has a relatively lower effect in African descent populations. Admixture analysis in the African American and Puerto Rican populations showed that the variation in ε4 risk is correlated with the genetic ancestral background local to the ApoE gene. Native American populations are substantially underrepresented in AD genetic studies. The Peruvian population with up to ~80 of Amerindian (AI) ancestry provides a unique opportunity to assess the role of AI ancestry in AD. In this study, we assess the effect of the ApoE ε4 allele on AD in the Peruvian population. A total of 79 AD cases and 128 unrelated cognitive healthy controls from Peruvian population were included in the study. Genome-wide genotyping was performed using the Illumina Global screening array v2.0. Global ancestry and local ancestry analyses were assessed. The effect of the ApoE ε4 allele on AD was tested using a logistic regression model by adjusting for age, gender, and population substructure (first 3 principal components). Results showed that the genetic ancestry surrounding the ApoE gene is predominantly AI (60.6%) and the ε4 allele is significantly associated with increased risk of AD in the Peruvian population (odds ratio = 5.02, confidence interval: 2.3–12.5, p-value = 2e-4). Our results showed that the risk for AD from ApoE ε4 in Peruvians is higher than we have observed in non-Hispanic white populations. Given the high admixture of AI ancestry in the Peruvian population, it suggests that the AI genetic ancestry local to the ApoE gene is contributing to a strong risk for AD in ε4 carriers. Our data also support the findings of an interaction between the genetic risk allele ApoE ε4 and the ancestral backgrounds located around the genomic region of ApoE gene. •Risk of ApoE ε4 in Peruvians is higher than observed in non-Hispanic Whites.•Amerindian local ancestry is contributing to a strong risk for AD in ε4 carriers.•Confirms the interaction between the ε4 allele and the ancestral background

Exploring the role of Amerindian genetic ancestry and ApoEε4 gene on Alzheimer disease in the Peruvian population

Background The ApoEε4 allele is a major risk factor for AD whose effect shows strong racial/ethnic differences. Among the populations ApoE shows the strongest effect in East Asians (EA) (ε3/ε4 odds ratio OR: 3.1–5.6; ε4/ε4 OR: 11.8–33.1) and has a relatively lower effect in non‐Hispanic Whites (NHW) (ε3/ε4 OR: 3.2; ε4/ε4 OR: 14.9). The effect of ApoEε4 in populations with Amerindian (AI) ancestry is unknown. Peruvians with high AI (∼80%) genetic ancestry provide an opportunity to assess the effect of ApoEε4 in AD individuals with AI genetic ancestry. Our aim is to use data from the Peruvian population to assess the role of AI genetic ancestry and the ApoE gene on AD. Method Genotyping including both ApoE and Illumina GSA array was performed in 147 Peruvians (54 AD cases and 93 cognitively intact (CI) controls). PC‐AiR and model‐based ADMIXTURE approach inferred population structure. To assess local ancestry, phasing using SHAPEIT (with 1kGP reference) was followed by RFMix (HGDP reference panels). Association between affection status and ApoEε4 dose was analyzed using logistic regression, adjusting for age, gender, PC1‐3. Result Admixture analysis showed that Peruvians have a substantial AI (62%) ancestral component (31% European, 4% African and 3% EA genetic ancestry). AD individuals have higher frequency of ApoEε4 allele than CI individuals (7.4% vs 3.7%, respectively, p‐value = 3e‐4). Logistic regression analysis showed ApoEε4 dose significantly associated with AD in Peruvians (OR = 4.92, CI: 2.07‐12.83, p = 6e‐4). The average of the local ancestry proportions around the ApoE were close to the average global ancestry proportions (AI:56%, EU:37% and AF:7%). Conclusion Our results showed that the risk for AD from ApoEε4 in Peruvians is higher than we have observed in NHW populations. Given the high admixture of AI in the Peruvian population, it suggests that the AI local ancestry is contributing to a strong risk for AD in ApoEε4 carriers. This would align with the current believed migration pattern of AI from East Asia, where ApoEε4 carriers have the highest ApoEε4 risk for AD. Further ascertainment is ongoing to identify additional AI ApoEε4 carriers to directly ascertain risk

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of Parkinson’s disease

Although over 90 independent risk variants have been identified for Parkinson’s disease using genome-wide association studies, most studies have been performed in just one population at a time. Here we performed a large-scale multi-ancestry meta-analysis of Parkinson’s disease with 49,049 cases, 18,785 proxy cases and 2,458,063 controls including individuals of European, East Asian, Latin American and African ancestry. In a meta-analysis, we identified 78 independent genome-wide significant loci, including 12 potentially novel loci (MTF2, PIK3CA, ADD1, SYBU, IRS2, USP8, PIGL, FASN, MYLK2, USP25, EP300 and PPP6R2) and fine-mapped 6 putative causal variants at 6 known PD loci. By combining our results with publicly available eQTL data, we identified 25 putative risk genes in these novel loci whose expression is associated with PD risk. This work lays the groundwork for future efforts aimed at identifying PD loci in non-European populations