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Archive for the ‘Chemical Biology and its relations to Metabolic Disease’ Category

New Functional Apolipoprotein B Variant Influencing Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Levels But Not Cardiovascular Events: Genome-Wide Association Study

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

Genome-Wide Association Study Pinpoints a New Functional Apolipoprotein B Variant Influencing Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein Levels But Not Cardiovascular Events

AtheroRemo Consortium

Kari-Matti Mäkelä, BM, BSc, Ilkka Seppälä, MSc, Jussi A. Hernesniemi, MD, PhD, Leo-Pekka Lyytikäinen, MD, Niku Oksala, MD, PhD, DSc, Marcus E. Kleber, PhD, Hubert Scharnagl, PhD, Tanja B. Grammer, MD, Jens Baumert, PhD, Barbara Thorand, PhD,Antti Jula, MD, PhD, Nina Hutri-Kähönen, MD, PhD, Markus Juonala, MD, PhD, Tomi Laitinen, MD, PhD, Reijo Laaksonen, MD, PhD, Pekka J. Karhunen, MD, PhD, Kjell C. Nikus, MD, PhD, Tuomo Nieminen, MD, PhD, MSc, Jari Laurikka, MD, PhD, Pekka Kuukasjärvi, MD, PhD, Matti Tarkka, MD, PhD, Jari Viik, PhD, Norman Klopp, PhD,Thomas Illig, PhD, Johannes Kettunen, PhD, Markku Ahotupa, PhD, Jorma S.A. Viikari, MD, PhD, Mika Kähönen, MD, PhD, Olli T. Raitakari, MD, PhD, Mahir Karakas, MD, Wolfgang Koenig, MD, PhD, Bernhard O. Boehm, MD, Bernhard R. Winkelmann, MD, Winfried März, MD and Terho Lehtimäki, MD, PhD

Correspondence to Kari-Matti Mäkelä, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Finn-Medi 2, PO Box 2000, FI-33521 Tampere, Finland. E-mail kari-matti.makela@uta.fi

Abstract

Background—Oxidized low-density lipoprotein may be a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis. We performed a genome-wide association study on oxidized low-density lipoprotein and tested the impact of associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the risk factors of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events.

Methods and Results—A discovery genome-wide association study was performed on a population of young healthy white individuals (N=2080), and the SNPs associated with a P<5×10–8 were replicated in 2 independent samples (A: N=2912; B: N=1326). Associations with cardiovascular endpoints were also assessed with 2 additional clinical cohorts (C: N=1118; and D: N=808). We found 328 SNPs associated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein. The genetic variant rs676210 (Pro2739Leu) in apolipoprotein B was the proxy SNP behind all associations (P=4.3×10–136, effect size=13.2 U/L per allele). This association was replicated in the 2 independent samples (A and B, P=2.5×10–47 and 1.1×10–11, effect sizes=10.3 U/L and 7.8 U/L, respectively). In the meta-analyses of cohorts A, C, and D (excluding cohort B without angiographic data), the top SNP did not associate significantly with the age of onset of angiographically verified coronary artery disease (hazard ratio=1.00 [0.94–1.06] per allele), 3-vessel coronary artery disease (hazard ratio=1.03 [0.94–1.13]), or myocardial infarction (hazard ratio=1.04 [0.96–1.12]).

Conclusions—This novel genetic marker is an important factor regulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein levels but not a major genetic factor for the studied cardiovascular endpoints.

SOURCE:

Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.2013; 6: 73-81

Published online before print December 17, 2012,

doi: 10.1161/ CIRCGENETICS.112.964965

 

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Resuscitation From Sudden Cardiac Arrest: Common Variation in Fatty Acid Genes

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Common Variation in Fatty Acid Genes and Resuscitation From Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Catherine O. Johnson, PhD, MPH, Rozenn N. Lemaitre, PhD, MPH, Carol E. Fahrenbruch, MSPH, Stephanie Hesselson, PhD, Nona Sotoodehnia, MD, MPH,Barbara McKnight, PhD, Kenneth M. Rice, PhD, Pui-Yan Kwok, MD, PhD, David S. Siscovick, MD, MPH and Thomas D. Rea, MD, MPH

Author Affiliations

From the Departments of Medicine (C.O.J., R.N.L., N.S., D.S.S., T.D.R.), Biostatistics (B.M., K.M.R.), and Epidemiology (D.S.S), University of Washington, Seattle; King County Emergency Medical Services, Seattle, WA (C.E.F.); and Institute of Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco (S.H., P.-Y.K.).

Correspondence to Catherine O. Johnson, PhD, MPH, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, CHRU 1730 Minor Ave, Suite 1360, Seattle, WA 98101. E-mail johnsoco@uw.edu

Abstract

Background—Fatty acids provide energy and structural substrates for the heart and brain and may influence resuscitation from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). We investigated whether genetic variation in fatty acid metabolism pathways was associated with SCA survival.

Methods and Results—Subjects (mean age, 67 years; 80% male, white) were out-of-hospital SCA patients found in ventricular fibrillation in King County, WA. We compared subjects who survived to hospital admission (n=664) with those who did not (n=689), and subjects who survived to hospital discharge (n=334) with those who did not (n=1019). Associations between survival and genetic variants were assessed using logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, location, time to arrival of paramedics, whether the event was witnessed, and receipt of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Within-gene permutation tests were used to correct for multiple comparisons. Variants in 5 genes were significantly associated with SCA survival. After correction for multiple comparisons, single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ACSL1 and ACSL3 were significantly associated with survival to hospital admission. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ACSL3, AGPAT3, MLYCD, and SLC27A6 were significantly associated with survival to hospital discharge.

Conclusions—Our findings indicate that variants in genes important in fatty acid metabolism are associated with SCA survival in this population.

SOURCE:

Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.2012; 5: 422-429

Published online before print June 1, 2012

doi: 10.1161/ CIRCGENETICS.111.961912

 

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LDL, HDL, TG, ApoA1 and ApoB: Genetic Loci Associated With Plasma Concentration of these Biomarkers – A Genome-Wide Analysis With Replication

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Genetic Loci Associated With Plasma Concentration of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Apolipoprotein A1, and Apolipoprotein B Among 6382 White Women in Genome-Wide Analysis With Replication

Daniel I. Chasman, PhD*Guillaume Paré, MD, MS*Robert Y.L. Zee, PhD, MPH, Alex N. Parker, PhD, Nancy R. Cook, ScD, Julie E. Buring, ScD, David J. Kwiatkowski, MD, PhD, Lynda M. Rose, MS, Joshua D. Smith, BS, Paul T. Williams, PhD, Mark J. Rieder, PhD, Jerome I. Rotter, MD, Deborah A. Nickerson, PhD, Ronald M. Krauss, MD,Joseph P. Miletich, MD and Paul M Ridker, MD, MPH

Author Affiliations

From the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention (D.I.C., G.P., R.Y.L.Z., N.R.C., J.E.B., L.M.R., P.M.R.) and Donald W. Reynolds Center for Cardiovascular Research (D.I.C., G.P., R.Y.L.Z., N.R.C., D.J.K., P.M.R.), Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Amgen, Inc, Cambridge, Mass (A.N.P., J.M.P.); Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash (J.D.S., M.J.R., D.A.N.); Life Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif (P.T.W., R.M.K.); Medical Genetics Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, Calif (J.I.R.); and Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, Calif (R.M.K.).

Correspondence to Daniel I. Chasman, Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 900 Commonwealth Ave E, Boston, MA 02215. E-mail dchasman@rics.bwh.harvard.edu

Abstract

Background— Genome-wide genetic association analysis represents an opportunity for a comprehensive survey of the genes governing lipid metabolism, potentially revealing new insights or even therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular disease and related metabolic disorders.

Methods and Results— We have performed large-scale, genome-wide genetic analysis among 6382 white women with replication in 2 cohorts of 970 additional white men and women for associations between common single-nucleotide polymorphisms and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein (Apo) A1, and ApoB. Genome-wide associations (P<5×10−8) were found at the PCSK9 gene, the APOB gene, the LPLgene, the APOA1-APOA5 locus, the LIPC gene, the CETP gene, the LDLR gene, and the APOE locus. In addition, genome-wide associations with triglycerides at the GCKRgene confirm and extend emerging links between glucose and lipid metabolism. Still other genome-wide associations at the 1p13.3 locus are consistent with emerging biological properties for a region of the genome, possibly related to the SORT1 gene. Below genome-wide significance, our study provides confirmatory evidence for associations at 5 novel loci with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or triglycerides reported recently in separate genome-wide association studies. The total proportion of variance explained by common variation at the genome-wide candidate loci ranges from 4.3% for triglycerides to 12.6% for ApoB.

Conclusion— Genome-wide associations at the GCKR gene and near the SORT1gene, as well as confirmatory associations at 5 additional novel loci, suggest emerging biological pathways for lipid metabolism among white women.

 SOURCE:

Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.2008; 1: 21-30

doi: 10.1161/ CIRCGENETICS.108.773168

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Physiologist, Professor Lichtstein, Chair in Heart Studies at The Hebrew University elected Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Professor David Lichtstein Elected Dean of Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine

December 2, 2013

Jerusalem — Professor David Lichtstein has been elected dean of the Faculty of Medicine at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Professor Lichtstein is the Walter & Greta Stiel Chair in Heart Studies at The Hebrew University. He replaces Professor Eran Leitersdorf, who recently completed his four-year term as dean.

According to Professor Lichtstein, “The Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine is devoted to creating innovative teaching, research and patient care programs that will meet the demands of 21st century health care. As global health care moves towaProfessor David Lichtsteinrd prevention, wellness and cost effectiveness, we are adapting how we train the next generation of physicians, nurses, pharmacists and biomedical researchers. Through fruitful collaborations between preclinical and clinical faculty, we are also translating basic biomedical insights into clinical treatments. Thus, the Faculty of Medicine is well-positioned to maintain its leading role in the scientific community of Israel and the world.”

Professor Lichtstein was born in Lodz, Poland, and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1957. As a student at The Hebrew University, he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology and Zoology in 1970, followed by a Master’s degree in Physiology in 1972 and a Ph.D. in Physiology in 1977. He joined the Department of Physiology of The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School in 1980 as a lecturer, and received full professorship in 1994. Prof. Lichtstein has held many roles at The Hebrew University and its Faculty of Medicine, including Chairman of the Neurobiology Teaching Division, Chairman of the Department of Physiology, Chairman of the Institute for Medical Sciences and, until recently, Chairman of the Faculty of Medicine. From 2007 to 2011, Professor Lichtstein was the Jacob Gitlin Chair in Physiology at The Hebrew University. In 2011 he was named the Walter & Greta Stiel Chair in Heart Studies at The Hebrew University. He also served as the President of the Israel Society for Physiology and Pharmacology from 1996 to 1999.

From 1977-1979 Professor Lichtstein was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology in New Jersey. He was a visiting scientist at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (1985-1986) and the Eye Institute (1997-1998) at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland, and a visiting professor at the Toledo School of Medicine in Ohio (2007).

Professor. Lichtstein’s main research focus is the regulation of ion transport across the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells. His work led to the discovery that specific steroids that were known to be present in plants and amphibians are actually normal constituents of the human body and have crucial roles, such as the regulation of cell viability, heart contractility, blood pressure and brain function. His research has implications for the fundamental understanding of body functions, as well as for several pathological states such as heart failure, hypertension and neurological and psychiatric diseases.

SOURCE

http://www.afhu.org/professor-david-lichtstein-elected-dean-hebrew-universitys-faculty-medicine

Field of Study

Regulation of ion transport across the plasma membrane:
The primary focus of the research in my laboratory is the regulation of ion transport across the plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells. In particular, we study the main transport system for sodium and potassium, the sodium-potassium-ATPase, and its regulation by cardiac steroids.
Specific areas of interest:
Identification of endogenous cardiac steroids in mammalian tissue; The biological consequences of the interaction of cardiac steroids with the sodium-potassium-ATPase; Biosynthesis of the cardiac steroids in the adrenal gland; Effects of endogenous sodium-potassium-ATPase inhibitors on cell differentiation; Determination of the levels of endogenous sodium-potassium-ATPase inhibitors in pathological states, including hypertension, preeclampsia; malignancies (cancer) and manic depressive illnesses; Involvement of the sodium-potassium–ATPase/cardiac steroids system in depressive disorders; Involvement of the sodium-potassium-ATPase/cardiac steroids system in cardiac function; Involvement of intestinal signals in the regulation of phosphate homeostasis; Volume regulation and its involvement in the mitogenic response.
Cardiac Steroids and the Na+, K+-ATPase and Cardiac Steroids
Cardiac steroids, such as ouabain, digoxin and bufalin are hormones synthesized by and released from the adrenal gland and the hypothalamus. These compounds, the structure of which resembles that of plant and amphibian and butterfly steroids, interact only with the plasma membrane Na+, K+-ATPase (Figure 1). This interaction elicits numerous specific biological responses affecting the function of cells and organs.
Topics Currently under investigation include
Cardiac Steroids
  • Ouabain
  • Bufalin
  • Dogoxin
Involvement of the sodium-potassium–ATPase/cardiac steroids system in depressive disorders
Depressive disorders, including major depression, dysthymia and bipolar disorder, are a serious and devastating group of diseases that have a major impact on the patients’ quality of life, and pose a significant concern for public health. The etiology of depressive disorders remains unclear. The Monoaminergic Hypothesis, suggesting that alterations in monoamine metabolism in the brain are responsible for the etiology of depressive disorders, is now recognized as insufficient to explain by itself the complex etiology of these diseases. Data from our and other laboratories has provided initial evidence that endogenous cardiac steroids and their only established receptor, the Na+, K+-ATPase, are involved in the mechanism underlining depressive disorders, and BD in particular. Our study (Biol. Psychiatry. 60:491-499, 2006) has proven that Na+, K+-ATPase and DLC are involved in depressive disorders particularly in manic-depression. We have also shown that specific genetic alterations in the Na+, K+-ATPase α isoforms are associated with bipolar disorders (Biol. Psychiatry, 65:985-991, 2009). Our recent study in this project (Eur. Neuropsychopharmacol. 22:72-729, 2012) showed that drugs affecting the Na+, K+-ATPase/cardiac steroids system are beneficial for the treatment of depression. Hence our work is in accordance to the proposition that mal functioning of the Na+, K+-ATPase/cardiac steroids system may be involved in manifestation of depressive disorders and identify new compounds as potential drug for the treatment of these maladies.
Involvement of the sodium-potassium-ATPase/cardiac steroids system in cardiac function
The classical and best documented effect of cardiac steroids, as their name implies, is to increase the force of contraction of heart muscle. Indeed, cardiac steroids were widely used in Western and Eastern clinical practices for the treatment of heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Despite extensive research, the mechanism underlying cardiac steroids actions have not been fully elucidated. The dogmatic explanation for cardiac steroids-induced increase in heart contractility is that the inhibition of Na+, K+-ATPase by the steroids causes an increase in intracellular Na+ which, in turn, attenuates the Na+/Ca++ exchange, resulting in an increased intracellular Ca++ concentration, and hence greater contractility. However, recent observations led to the hypothesis that the ability of cardiac steroids to modulate a number of intracellular signaling processes may be responsible for both short- and long-term changes in CS action on cardiac function. We are addressing this hypothesis using the zebrafish model and our ability to quantify heart function in-vivo. Heart contractility measurements were performed using a series of software tools for the analysis of high-speed video microscopic images, allowing the determination of ventricular heart diameter and perimeter during both diastole and systole. The ejection fraction (EF) and fractional area changes (FAC) were calculated from these measurements, providing two independent parameters of heart contractility (see attached movie bellow). We are currently testing the effect of cardiac steroids in the presence and absence of intracellular signaling pathways (MAP, AKT, IP3R) inhibitors. Reduction in the steroids ability to increase the force of contraction will serve as the first evidence, in-vivo, for the participation of the signaling processes in the molecular mechanisms responsible for the action of cardiac steroids on heart muscle.
Laboratory Techniques
We employ a broad range of preparations and techniques. These include isolated organs (arterial rings, smooth and cardiac muscle strips) and isolated nerve endings, as well as primary and established tissue-cultured cells. Our studies involve the application of biochemical and immunological techniques (transport and enzymatic activity measurements, RIA, ELISA), molecular biological techniques (e.g., Western and Northern blotting, and PCR), protein purification (HPLC), cellular techniques muscle contractility, cell proliferation and differentiation’ in-vivo measurements of heart contractility and blood flow in Zebrafish and behavior measurements in rodents.

Biography

Education
1970
B.Sc. in Physiology and Zoology, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
1970-1972 M.Sc. in Physiology, Department of Physiology, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
1973-1977
Ph.D., Department of Physiology, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel. (Thesis: “Increased Production of Gamma Aminobutyryl choline in Cerebral Cortex Caused by Afferent Electrical Stimulation” (Thesis Advisors: Prof. J. Dobkin and Prof. J. Magnes).
1977-1979
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physiological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Nutley, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Positions held

1970-1972
Teaching and Research Assistant, Department of Physiology, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
1972-1974 Assistant Instructor, Department of Physiology, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
1975-1977 Instructor, Department of Physiology, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
1977-1979
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physiological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Nutley, New Jersey, U.S.A.
1979-1983
Lecturer, (REVSON fellowship) Department of Physiology, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
1981 (summer)
Visiting Scientist, Department of Physiological Chemistry and Pharmacology, Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Nutley, New Jersey, USA
1983-1987 Senior Lecturer, Department of Physiology, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
1985-1986
Visiting Scientist, Laboratory of Theoretical and Physical Biology, NICHD, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
1988-1994 Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
1994-present Professor of Physiology, Department of Physiology, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
1997-1998 Visiting Scientist, Laboratory of Mechanisms of Ocular Diseases, NEI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
2007 (summer)
Visiting Professor, Department of Physiology, Pharmacology, Metabolism and cardiovascular Sciences, Medical Center University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, USA
2007-2011 Jacob Gitlin Chair in Physiology, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
2011-present ​Walter & Greta Stiel Chair in Heart Studies, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Professional Membership
1979-present International Society of Neurochemistry
1979-present Israel Society for Physiological and Pharmacological
1980-present Society of Neurosciences (Europe)
1986-present The American Society of Hypertension
1992-present Israeli Society for Neurosciences
1999-present The American Physiological Society
Editorial Tasks
Serving as a Reviewer for the scientific journals:
American Journal of Hypertension Journal of Neural Transmission
American Journal of Physiology Journal of Neurochemistry
Apoptosis Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Life Sciences
Basic Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology NANO
Brain Research Neurochemistry International
Bioconjugate Chemistry Neuroscience
Cell Calcium Neurotoxicity Research
Clinical Science Pathophysiology
Endocrinology Physiology and Behavior
European Neuropsychopharmacology PNAS
General and Comparative Endocrinology Psychiatry Research
Hypertension Translational Research
Journal of Cell Sciences
University and Other Activities
1982-1985 Chairman of the Neurobiology Teaching Division, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
1988-1994 Elected representative of the Senior Lecturers and Associate Professors for the University Senate
1989-1997 Member of the admission committee of the Medical School, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
1990-1996 Member of the Committee for cellular biology of the graduate studies, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
1992-1996 Member of the Teaching Committee, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
1992-1996
Chairman, Department of Physiology, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem
1994-1997 Member of the Committee for graduate studies, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
1992-2002
Member of the Management Committee of The Institute for Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
1996-1999
President of the Israel Society for Physiology and Pharmacology
1998- 2002 Chairman, Institute of Medical Sciences, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem
1999-2002 Member of the Planning and Development Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
2007–Present Elected representative of the Professors for the executive University Senate
2008-2012 Member of the Planning and Development Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem
2008-2012 Chairman, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem
2009 – Present Elected member of the Senate to the Executive Committee of the Hebrew University

PUBLICATIONS 2006 – 2012

Search By:  Author Abeles, M Abramovitch, R Allweis, C Altuvia, S Amedi, A Amster-Choder, O Anglister, L Aqeilan, RI Aronovitch, Y Bachrach, U Baniyash, M Barak, V Barenholz, Y Bar-Shalita, T Bar-Shavit, R Bar-Shavit, Z Bar-Tana, J Becker, Y Behar, O Ben-Ishay, Z Benita, S Ben-Neriah, Y Benny, O Ben-Or, S Ben-porath, I Ben-Sasson, S Ben-Sasson, SZ Ben-Shaul, Y Ben-Yehuda, S Bercovier, H Berger, M Bergman, H Bergman, Y Berry, E Bialer, M Binshtok, AM Blum, G Brandes, R Brautbar, C Breuer, E Cedar, H Chevion, M Chinitz, D Citri, N Cohen, A Cohen, E Deutsch, J Dikstein, S Domb, A Dor, Y Dror, OE Dzikowski, R Elkin, M Engelberg-Kulka, H Even-Ram, S Eyal, S Fainsod, A Feintuch, U Friedlander, y Friedman, M Gallily, R Gatt, S Gerlitz, O Gertz, SD Gibson, D Glaser, G Goelman, G Goldberg, I Goldberg, JA Goldblum, A Golenser, J Golomb, G Golos, A Gordon, A Gorinstein, S Gorodetsky, R Granot, Z Greenblatt, CL Greenwald, T Gross, E Grover, N Gutman, Y Hahn-Markowitz, J Hamburger, J Hanani, M Hanski, E Hartman-Maeir, A Hellman, A Hochner, H Hoffman, A Honigman, A Horowitz, M Ilani, A Inbal, A Jaffe, CL Jarrous, N Kaempfer, R Kalcheim, C Kanner, BI Kapitulnik, J Karni, R Katz, E Katzav, S Katz-Brull, R Katzhendler, J Kedar, E Keren, N Keshet, E Klar, A Kohen, R Konijn, A Kotler, M Langer, D Laskov, R Lazarovici, P Levi-Schaffer, F Lev-Tov, A Lichtstein, D Liebergall, M Lorberboum-Galski, H Magen, H Mandelboim, O Manor, O Margalit, H Matok, I Mechoulam, R Meiri, H Melloul, D Meyuhas, O Minke, B Mishani, E Mitrani-Rosenbaum, S Mumcuoglu, K Naor, D Naveh-Many, T Neumark, Y Nussinovitch, I Oppenheim, A Ornoy, A Panet, A Paroush, Z Parush, S Peled, A Pikarsky, E Pines, O Priel, A Prut, Y Rachmilewitz, J Rahamimoff, H Ravid, S Razin, A Razin, E Razin, S Reich, R Reshef, L Richter, E Ringel, I Rokem, JS Rom, M Ron, A Rosen, H Rosenshine, I Rotenberg-Shpigelman, S Rotshenker, S Rottem, S Rubinstein, A Samueloff, S Samuni, A Sasson, S Schlein, Y Schlesinger, M Schueler-Furman, O Sharon, D Sharon, R Shaulian, E Shlomai, J Shmueli, A Shohami, E Shtarkshall, R Shurki, A Simon, I Smith, P Sohmer, H Sperling, D Steinitz, M Stern-Bach, Y Tal, M Taraboulos, A Ta-Shma, R Tirosh, B Touitou, E Trachtenberg, S Traub, R Treinin, M Tsvelikhovsky, D Vaadia, E Warburg, A Weinstock, M  Weintraub, N Weiss, D Weiss, R Wiener, R Wormser, U Yaari, Y Yagen, B Yaka, R yanai, J Yavin, E Yedgar, S Yefenof, E Yisraeli, JK Yochman, A Yogev, D Yosselson-Superstine, S Zajicek, G Zakay-Rones, Z  Sort By:  Year Descending Year Ascending  Text:
Dvela, M., Rosen, H., Ben-Ami, H. C., Lichtstein, D.
American journal of physiology. Cell physiology, 302(2), C442-52, 2012
Goldstein, I., Lax, E., Gispan-Herman, I., Ovadia, H., Rosen, H., Yadid, G., Lichtstein, D.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 22(1), 72-9, 2012
Nesher, M., Shpolansky, U., Viola, N., Dvela, M., Buzaglo, N., Cohen Ben-Ami, H., Rosen, H., Lichtstein, D.
British journal of pharmacology, 160(2), 346-54, 2010
Guttmann-Rubinstein, L., Lichtstein, D., Ilani, A., Gal-Moscovici, A., Scherzer, P., Rubinger, D.
Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme, 42(4), 230-6, 2010
Jaiswal, M. K., Dvela, M., Lichtstein, D., Mallick, B. N.
Journal of sleep research, 19(1 Pt 2), 183-91, 2010
Nesher, M., Dvela, M., Igbokwe, V. U., Rosen, H., Lichtstein, D.
American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology, 297(6), H2026-34, 2009
Goldstein, I., Lerer, E., Laiba, E., Mallet, J., Mujaheed, M., Laurent, C., Rosen, H., Ebstein, R. P., Lichtstein, D.
Biological psychiatry, 65(11), 985-91, 2009
Nesher, M., Vachutinsky, Y., Fridkin, G., Schwarz, Y., Sasson, K., Fridkin, M., Shechter, Y., Lichtstein, D.
Bioconjugate chemistry, 19(1), 342-8, 2008
Dvela, M., Rosen, H., Feldmann, T., Nesher, M., Lichtstein, D.
Pathophysiology : the official journal of the International Society for Pathophysiology / ISP, 14(3-4), 159-66, 2007
Feldmann, T., Glukmann, V., Medvenev, E., Shpolansky, U., Galili, D., Lichtstein, D., Rosen, H.
American journal of physiology. Cell physiology, 293(3), C885-96, 2007
Chirinos, J. A., Corrales-Medina, V. F., Garcia, S., Lichtstein, D. M., Bisno, A. L., Chakko, S.
Clinical rheumatology, 26(4), 590-5, 2007
Lichtstein, D. M., Arteaga, R. B.
The American journal of the medical sciences, 332(2), 103-5, 2006
Morla, D., Alazemi, S., Lichtstein, D.
Journal of general internal medicine, 21(7), C11-3, 2006
Chirinos, J. A., Corrales, V. F., Lichtstein, D. M.
Clinical rheumatology, 25(1), 111-2, 2006
Deutsch, J., Jang, H. G., Mansur, N., Ilovich, O., Shpolansky, U., Galili, D., Feldman, T., Rosen, H., Lichtstein, D.
Journal of medicinal chemistry, 49(2), 600-6, 2006
Goldstein, I., Levy, T., Galili, D., Ovadia, H., Yirmiya, R., Rosen, H., Lichtstein, D.
Biological psychiatry, 60(5), 491-9, 2006
Chirinos, J. A., Garcia, J., Alcaide, M. L., Toledo, G., Baracco, G. J., Lichtstein, D. M.
American journal of cardiovascular drugs : drugs, devices, and other interventions, 6(1), 9-14, 2006
Rosen, H., Glukmann, V., Feldmann, T., Fridman, E., Lichtstein, D.
Cellular and molecular biology (Noisy-le-Grand, France), 52(8), 78-86, 2006

SOURCE

https://medicine.ekmd.huji.ac.il/En/Publications/publications/Pages/default.aspx?aut=Lichtstein,%20D

 

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American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) can’t support the new cardiovascular risk guidelines issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC)

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari,PhD, RN

Endocrinology Group Rejects New AHA/ACC CVD Guidelines

Miriam E. Tucker

December 13, 2013

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) says it can’t support the new cardiovascular risk guidelines issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC), saying the set of 4 guideline documents is out of step with its own recommendations.

“AACE was asked to review and endorse the obesity and cholesterol guidelines. After careful consideration by the appropriate scientific committees of our organization, AACE declined to endorse these new cholesterol and obesity guidelines,” the organization said in a statement that was sent to its members in November and forwarded to the media today. “There are multiple reasons for this decision, including, principally, the incompatibility of these new guidelines with our existing guidelines.”

The 4 guidelines are:

All of the guidelines were issued with the support of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, which had last updated its Adult Treatment Panel 3 (ATP3) National Cholesterol Education Panel (NCEP) guidelines for cholesterol and lipid management in 2004. AACE had “generally agreed” with those guidelines.

AACE welcomes the intent of the AHA and ACC in the creation of these new guidelines but cannot endorse them.

The endocrinology group faults the new AHA/ACC guidelines for focusing exclusively on randomized clinical trials and for not including studies published since 2011. “They are highly restrictive regarding the database considered and omit much new information… Taken together, these actions have resulted in a considerable number of at-risk patients being omitted from consideration.”

And, AACE says that the new cardiovascular disease calculator that was published along with the guidelines—and generated the most controversy—is already outdated. “It is based upon outmoded data, does not model the totality of the US population, has not been validated, and therefore has only limited applicability.”

As for new lipid guidelines, AACE disagrees with removal of the LDL targets and the idea that statin therapy alone is sufficient for all at-risk patients, noting that many who have multiple risk factors, including diabetes and established heart disease, will need additional therapies.

Finally, the new obesity guidelines, AACE says, “fail to classify obesity as a disease and continue the paradigm of [body-mass-index] BMI-centric risk stratification, both of which are contrary to recently stated AACE positions.” In addition, newly FDA-approved weight-loss medications are not included.

The statement concludes, “AACE welcomes the intent of the AHA and ACC in the creation of these new guidelines but does not agree with the complete content and therefore cannot endorse them.”

SOURCE

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/817810?nlid=42483_2105&src=wnl_edit_medp_card&uac=93761AJ&spon=2

 

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Atherosclerosis Risk and Highly Sensitive Cardiac Troponin-T Levels in European Americans and Blacks: Genome-Wide Variation Association Study

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Association of Genome-Wide Variation With Highly Sensitive Cardiac Troponin-T Levels in European Americans and Blacks

A Meta-Analysis From Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities and Cardiovascular Health Studies

Bing Yu, MD, MSc, Maja Barbalic, PhD, Ariel Brautbar, MD, Vijay Nambi, MD, Ron C. Hoogeveen, PhD, Weihong Tang, PhD, Thomas H. Mosley, PhD, Jerome I. Rotter, MD,Christopher R. deFilippi, MD, Christopher J. O’Donnell, MD, Sekar Kathiresan, MD,Ken Rice, PhD, Susan R. Heckbert, MD, PhD, Christie M. Ballantyne, MD, Bruce M. Psaty, MD, PhD and Eric Boerwinkle, PhD on behalf of the CARDIoGRAM Consortium

Author Affiliations

From the Human Genetic Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX (B.Y., M.B., E.B.); Deptartment of Medicine (A.B., V.N., R.C.H., C.M.B.), and Human Genome Sequencing Center (E.B.), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; Department of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (W.T.); Division of Geriatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS (T.H.M.); Medical Genetics Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA (J.I.R.); School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD (C.R.D.); National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Framingham Heart Study, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (C.J.O.D.); Center for Human Genetic Research & Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (S.K.); Department of Biostatistics (K.R.), and Cardiovascular Health Research Unit & Department of Epidemiology (S.R.H.), University of Washington, Seattle, WA; and Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, Departments of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Services, University of Washington & Group Health Research Institute, Group Health Cooperative, Seattle, WA (B.M.P.).

Correspondence to Eric Boerwinkle, PhD, Human Genetic Center, University of Texas School of Public Health, 1200 Herman Pressler E-447, Houston, TX 77030. E-mailEric.Boerwinkle@uth.tmc.edu

Abstract

Background—High levels of cardiac troponin T, measured by a highly sensitive assay (hs-cTnT), are strongly associated with incident coronary heart disease and heart failure. To date, no large-scale genome-wide association study of hs-cTnT has been reported. We sought to identify novel genetic variants that are associated with hs-cTnT levels.

Methods and Results—We performed a genome-wide association in 9491 European Americans and 2053 blacks free of coronary heart disease and heart failure from 2 prospective cohorts: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study and the Cardiovascular Health Study. Genome-wide association studies were conducted in each study and race stratum. Fixed-effect meta-analyses combined the results of linear regression from 2 cohorts within each race stratum and then across race strata to produce overall estimates and probability values. The meta-analysis identified a significant association at chromosome 8q13 (rs10091374;P=9.06×10−9) near the nuclear receptor coactivator 2 (NCOA2) gene. Overexpression of NCOA2 can be detected in myoblasts. An additional analysis using logistic regression and the clinically motivated 99th percentile cut point detected a significant association at 1q32 (rs12564445; P=4.73×10−8) in the gene TNNT2, which encodes the cardiac troponin T protein itself. The hs-cTnT-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms were not associated with coronary heart disease in a large case-control study, but rs12564445 was significantly associated with incident heart failure in Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study European Americans (hazard ratio=1.16; P=0.004).

Conclusions—We identified 2 loci, near NCOA2 and in the TNNT2 gene, at which variation was significantly associated with hs-cTnT levels. Further use of the new assay should enable replication of these results.

SOURCE:

Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.2013; 6: 82-88

Published online before print December 16, 2012,

doi: 10.1161/ CIRCGENETICS.112.963058

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Genetics of Hypertension in African Americans – Gene Association Study

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Genome-Wide Association Study of Cardiac Structure and Systolic Function in African Americans – The Candidate Gene Association Resource (CARe) Study

Ervin R. Fox, MD*Solomon K. Musani, PhD*Maja Barbalic, PhD*Honghuang Lin, PhD, Bing Yu, MS, Kofo O. Ogunyankin, MD, Nicholas L. Smith, PhD, Abdullah Kutlar, MD, Nicole L. Glazer, MD, Wendy S. Post, MD, MS, Dina N. Paltoo, PhD, MPH, Daniel L. Dries, MD, MPH, Deborah N. Farlow, PhD, Christine W. Duarte, PhD, Sharon L. Kardia, PhD, Kristin J. Meyers, PhD, Yan V. Sun, PhD, Donna K. Arnett, PhD, Amit A. Patki, MS, Jin Sha, MS, Xiangqui Cui, PhD, Tandaw E. Samdarshi, MD, MPH, Alan D. Penman, PhD, Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, MD, PhD, Petra Bůžková, PhD, Emelia J. Benjamin, MD, David A. Bluemke, MD, PhD, Alanna C. Morrison, PhD, Gerardo Heiss, MD, J. Jeffrey Carr, MD, MSc, Russell P. Tracy, PhD, Thomas H. Mosley, PhD, Herman A. Taylor, MD, Bruce M. Psaty, MD, PhD, Susan R. Heckbert, MD, PhD, Thomas P. Cappola, MD, ScM and Ramachandran S. Vasan, MD

Author Affiliations

Guest Editor for this article was Barry London, MD, PhD.

Correspondence to Ervin Fox, MD MPH, FAHA, FACC, Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St, Jackson, MS 39216. E-mail efox@medicine.umsmed.edu

* These authors contributed equally as joint first authors.

Abstract

Background—Using data from 4 community-based cohorts of African Americans, we tested the association between genome-wide markers (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) and cardiac phenotypes in the Candidate-gene Association Resource study.

Methods and Results—Among 6765 African Americans, we related age, sex, height, and weight-adjusted residuals for 9 cardiac phenotypes (assessed by echocardiogram or magnetic resonance imaging) to 2.5 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms genotyped using Genome-wide Affymetrix Human SNP Array 6.0 (Affy6.0) and the remainder imputed. Within the cohort, genome-wide association analysis was conducted, followed by meta-analysis across cohorts using inverse variance weights (genome-wide significance threshold=4.0 ×107). Supplementary pathway analysis was performed. We attempted replication in 3 smaller cohorts of African ancestry and tested lookups in 1 consortium of European ancestry (EchoGEN). Across the 9 phenotypes, variants in 4 genetic loci reached genome-wide significance: rs4552931 in UBE2V2 (P=1.43×107) for left ventricular mass, rs7213314 in WIPI1 (P=1.68×107) for left ventricular internal diastolic diameter, rs1571099 in PPAPDC1A (P=2.57×108) for interventricular septal wall thickness, and rs9530176 in KLF5 (P=4.02×107) for ejection fraction. Associated variants were enriched in 3 signaling pathways involved in cardiac remodeling. None of the 4 loci replicated in cohorts of African ancestry was confirmed in lookups in EchoGEN.

Conclusions—In the largest genome-wide association study of cardiac structure and function to date in African Americans, we identified 4 genetic loci related to left ventricular mass, interventricular septal wall thickness, left ventricular internal diastolic diameter, and ejection fraction, which reached genome-wide significance. Replication results suggest that these loci may be unique to individuals of African ancestry. Additional large-scale studies are warranted for these complex phenotypes.

SOURCE:

Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics. 2013; 6: 37-46

Published online before print December 28, 2012,

doi: 10.1161/ CIRCGENETICS.111.962365

 

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Genetics of Aortic and Carotid Calcification: The Role of Serum Lipids

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Genetic Loci for Coronary Calcification and Serum Lipids Relate to Aortic and Carotid Calcification

Daniel Bos, MD, M. Arfan Ikram, MD, PhD, Aaron Isaacs, PhD, Benjamin F.J. Verhaaren, MD, Albert Hofman, MD, PhD, Cornelia M. van Duijn, PhD, Jacqueline C.M. Witteman, PhD, Aad van der Lugt, MD, PhD and Meike W. Vernooij, MD, PhD

Author Affiliations

From the Departments of Radiology (D.B., M.A.I., B.F.J.V., A.v.d.L., M.W.V), Epidemiology (D.B., M.A.I., A.I., B.F.J.V., A.H., C.M.v.D., J.C.M.W., M.W.V.), and Genetic Epidemiology Unit (A.I., C.M.v.D.), Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Correspondence to Meike W. Vernooij, MD, PhD, Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC, Gravendijkwal 230, PO Box 2040, 3000CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands. E-mailm.vernooij@erasmusmc.nl

Abstract

Background—Atherosclerosis in different vessel beds shares lifestyle and environmental risk factors. It is unclear whether this holds for genetic risk factors. Hence, for the current study genetic loci for coronary artery calcification and serum lipid levels, one of the strongest risk factors for atherosclerosis, were used to assess their relation with atherosclerosis in different vessel beds.

Methods and Results—From 1987 persons of the population-based Rotterdam Study, 3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for coronary artery calcification and 132 SNPs for total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or triglycerides were used. To quantify atherosclerotic calcification as a marker of atherosclerosis, all participants underwent nonenhanced computed tomography of the aortic arch and carotid arteries. Associations between genetic risk scores of the joint effect of the SNPs and of all calcification were investigated. The joint effect of coronary artery calcification–SNPs was associated with larger calcification volumes in all vessel beds (difference in calcification volume per SD increase in genetic risk score: 0.15 [95% confidence interval, 0.11–0.20] in aorta, 0.14 [95% confidence interval, 0.10–0.18] in extracranial carotids, and 0.11 [95% confidence interval, 0.07–0.16] in intracranial carotids). The joint effect of total cholesterol SNPs, low-density lipoprotein SNPs, and of all lipid SNPs together was associated with larger calcification volumes in both the aortic arch and the carotid arteries but attenuated after adjusting for the lipid fraction and lipid-lowering medication.

Conclusions—The genetic basis for aortic arch and carotid artery calcification overlaps with the most important loci of coronary artery calcification. Furthermore, serum lipids share a genetic predisposition with both calcification in the aortic arch and the carotid arteries, providing novel insights into the cause of atherosclerosis.

 SOURCE:

Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.2013; 6: 47-53

Published online before print December 16, 2012,

doi: 10.1161/ CIRCGENETICS.112.963934

 

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Gene Study of Blood Pressure Response to Dietary Potassium Intervention: Genetic Epidemiology of Salt Sensitivity

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Genome-Wide Linkage and Positional Candidate Gene Study of Blood Pressure Response to Dietary Potassium Intervention

The Genetic Epidemiology Network of Salt Sensitivity Study

Tanika N. Kelly, PhD, James E. Hixson, PhD, Dabeeru C. Rao, PhD, Hao Mei, MD, PhD,Treva K. Rice, PhD, Cashell E. Jaquish, PhD, Lawrence C. Shimmin, PhD, Karen Schwander, MS, Chung-Shuian Chen, MS, Depei Liu, PhD, Jichun Chen, MD,Concetta Bormans, PhD, Pramila Shukla, MS, Naveed Farhana, MS, Colin Stuart, BS,Paul K. Whelton, MD, MSc, Jiang He, MD, PhD and Dongfeng Gu, MD, PhD

Author Affiliations

From the Department of Epidemiology (T.N.K., H.M., C.-S.C., J.H.), Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Department of Medicine (J.H.), Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, La; Department of Epidemiology (J.E.H., L.C.S., C.B., P.S., N.F., C.S.), University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Tex; Division of Biostatistics (D.C.R., T.K.R., K.S.), Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo; Division of Prevention and Population Sciences (C.E.J.), National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute, Bethesda, Md; National Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology (D.L.), Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Cardiovascular Institute and Fuwai Hospital (J.C., D.G.), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College and Chinese National Center for Cardiovascular Disease Control and Research, Beijing, China; and Office of the President (P.K.W.), Loyola University Health System and Medical Center, Maywood, Ill.

Correspondence to Dongfeng Gu, MD, PhD, Division of Population Genetics and Prevention, Cardiovascular Institute and Fuwai Hospital, 167 Beilishi Rd, Beijing 100037, China. E-mail gudongfeng@vip.sina.com

Abstract

Background— Genetic determinants of blood pressure (BP) response to potassium, or potassium sensitivity, are largely unknown. We conducted a genome-wide linkage scan and positional candidate gene analysis to identify genetic determinants of potassium sensitivity.

Conclusions— Genetic regions on chromosomes 3 and 11 may harbor important susceptibility loci for potassium sensitivity. Furthermore, the AGTR1 gene was a significant predictor of BP responses to potassium intake.

SOURCE:

Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics. 2010; 3: 539-547

Published online before print September 22, 2010,

doi: 10.1161/ CIRCGENETICS.110.940635

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Cardiometabolic Syndrome and the Genetics of Hypertension: The Neuroendocrine Transcriptome Control Points

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

Integrated Computational and Experimental Analysis of the Neuroendocrine Transcriptome in Genetic Hypertension Identifies Novel Control Points for the Cardiometabolic Syndrome

Ryan S. Friese, PhD, Chun Ye, PhD, Caroline M. Nievergelt, PhD, Andrew J. Schork, BS, Nitish R. Mahapatra, PhD, Fangwen Rao, MD, Philip S. Napolitan, BS, Jill Waalen, MD, MPH, Georg B. Ehret, MD, Patricia B. Munroe, PhD, Geert W. Schmid-Schönbein, PhD, Eleazar Eskin, PhD and Daniel T. O’Connor, MD

Author Affiliations

From the Departments of Bioengineering (R.S.F., G.W.S.-S.), Medicine (R.S.F., A.J.S., F.R., P.S.N., D.T.O.), Pharmacology (D.T.O.), and Psychiatry (C.M.N.), the Bioinformatics Program (C.Y.), and the Institute for Genomic Medicine (D.T.O.), University of California at San Diego; the VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA (D.T.O.); the Departments of Computer Science & Human Genetics, University of California at Los Angeles (E.E.); the Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India (N.R.M.); Clinical Pharmacology and The Genome Centre, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom (P.B.M.); Center for Complex Disease Genomics, McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (G.B.E.); and Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA (J.W.).

Correspondence to Daniel T. O’Connor, MD, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, VASDHS (0838), Skaggs (SSPPS) Room 4256, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0838. E-mail doconnor@ucsd.edu

Abstract

Background—Essential hypertension, a common complex disease, displays substantial genetic influence. Contemporary methods to dissect the genetic basis of complex diseases such as the genomewide association study are powerful, yet a large gap exists betweens the fraction of population trait variance explained by such associations and total disease heritability.

Methods and Results—We developed a novel, integrative method (combining animal models, transcriptomics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, and trait-extreme phenotypes) to identify candidate genes for essential hypertension and the metabolic syndrome. We first undertook transcriptome profiling on adrenal glands from blood pressure extreme mouse strains: the hypertensive BPH (blood pressure high) and hypotensive BPL (blood pressure low). Microarray data clustering revealed a striking pattern of global underexpression of intermediary metabolism transcripts in BPH. The MITRA algorithm identified a conserved motif in the transcriptional regulatory regions of the underexpressed metabolic genes, and we then hypothesized that regulation through this motif contributed to the global underexpression. Luciferase reporter assays demonstrated transcriptional activity of the motif through transcription factors HOXA3, SRY, and YY1. We finally hypothesized that genetic variation at HOXA3SRY, and YY1 might predict blood pressure and other metabolic syndrome traits in humans. Tagging variants for each locus were associated with blood pressure in a human population blood pressure extreme sample with the most extensive associations for YY1 tagging single nucleotide polymorphism rs11625658 on systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, and fasting glucose. Meta-analysis extended the YY1results into 2 additional large population samples with significant effects preserved on diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, and fasting glucose.

Conclusions—The results outline an innovative, systematic approach to the genetic pathogenesis of complex cardiovascular disease traits and point to transcription factor YY1 as a potential candidate gene involved in essential hypertension and the cardiometabolic syndrome.

 SOURCE:

Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.2012; 5: 430-440

Published online before print June 5, 2012,

doi: 10.1161/ CIRCGENETICS.111.962415

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