Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Identifies Four New Disease-Specific Risk Loci.

Jones GT, Tromp G, Kuivaniemi H, Gretarsdottir S, Baas AF, Giusti B, Strauss E, Van't Hof FN, Webb TR, Erdman R, Ritchie MD, Elmore JR, Verma A, Pendergrass S, Kullo IJ, Ye Z, Peissig PL, Gottesman O, Verma SS, Malinowski J, Rasmussen-Torvik LJ, Borthwick KM, Smelser DT, Crosslin DR, de Andrade M, Ryer EJ, McCarty CA, Böttinger EP, Pacheco JA, Crawford DC, Carrell DS, Gerhard GS, Franklin DP, Carey DJ, Phillips VL, Williams MJ, Wei W, Blair R, Hill AA, Vasudevan TM, Lewis DR, Thomson IA, Krysa J, Hill GB, Roake J, Merriman TR, Oszkinis G, Galora S, Saracini C, Abbate R, Pulli R, Pratesi C, Saratzis A, Verissimo AR, Bumpstead S, Badger SA, Clough RE, Cockerill G, Hafez H, Scott DJ, Futers TS, Romaine SP, Bridge K, Griffin KJ, Bailey MA, Smith A, Thompson MM, van Bockxmeer FM, Matthiasson SE, Thorleifsson G, Thorsteinsdottir U, Blankensteijn JD, Teijink JA, Wijmenga C, de Graaf J, Kiemeney LA, Lindholt JS, Hughes A, Bradley DT, Stirrups K, Golledge J, Norman PE, Powell JT, Humphries SE, Hamby SE, Goodall AH, Nelson CP, Sakalihasan N, Courtois A, Ferrell RE, Eriksson P, Folkersen L, Franco-Cereceda A, Eicher JD, Johnson AD, Betsholtz C, Ruusalepp A, Franzén O, Schadt EE, Björkegren JL, Lipovich L, Drolet AM, Verhoeven EL, Zeebregts CJ, Geelkerken RH, van Sambeek MR, van Sterkenburg SM, de Vries JP, Stefansson K, Thompson JR, de Bakker PI, Deloukas P, Sayers RD, Harrison SC, van Rij AM, Samani NJ, Bown MJ

Circ. Res. 120 (2) 341-353 [2017-01-20; online 2016-12-03]

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a complex disease with both genetic and environmental risk factors. Together, 6 previously identified risk loci only explain a small proportion of the heritability of AAA. To identify additional AAA risk loci using data from all available genome-wide association studies. Through a meta-analysis of 6 genome-wide association study data sets and a validation study totaling 10 204 cases and 107 766 controls, we identified 4 new AAA risk loci: 1q32.3 (SMYD2), 13q12.11 (LINC00540), 20q13.12 (near PCIF1/MMP9/ZNF335), and 21q22.2 (ERG). In various database searches, we observed no new associations between the lead AAA single nucleotide polymorphisms and coronary artery disease, blood pressure, lipids, or diabetes mellitus. Network analyses identified ERG, IL6R, and LDLR as modifiers of MMP9, with a direct interaction between ERG and MMP9. The 4 new risk loci for AAA seem to be specific for AAA compared with other cardiovascular diseases and related traits suggesting that traditional cardiovascular risk factor management may only have limited value in preventing the progression of aneurysmal disease.

Bioinformatics Support for Computational Resources [Service]

NGI Uppsala (SNP&SEQ Technology Platform) [Service]

National Genomics Infrastructure [Service]

PubMed 27899403

DOI 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.308765

Crossref 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.308765

pii: CIRCRESAHA.116.308765
pmc: PMC5253231
mid: EMS70602