Project description:Background: Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified hundreds of variants associated with risk of autoimmune and immune-related disorders (AID), our understanding of the diseases mechanisms is limited. In particular, more than 90% of the risk variants lie in non-coding regions, and almost 10% of these map to long non-coding RNA transcripts (lncRNAs). LncRNAs are known to show more cell-type specificity than protein-coding genes. Methods: In this study, we aimed to characterize lncRNAs and protein-coding genes located in loci associated with nine AID which have been well-defined by Immunochip analysis, by transcriptome analysis across seven peripheral blood leukocyte populations (granulocytes, monocytes, NK cells, B-cells, memory-T cells, naive CD4+ and naive CD8+ T-cells) and four cord blood derived T-helper cell populations (precursor, primary, polarized (Th1, Th2) T-helper cells). Results: We show that lncRNAs mapping to loci shared between AIDs are significantly enriched in immune cell types when compared to lncRNAs from the whole genome (M-NM-1<0.005). We were not able to prioritize single cell types relevant for specific diseases, but we observed five cell types enriched (M-NM-1<0.005) in five AID (NK cells for inflammatory bowel disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, primary biliary cirrhosis, psoriasis; memory-T and CD8+ T-cells in juvenile idiopathic arthritis, primary biliary cirrhosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis; Th0 and Th2 cells for inflammatory bowel disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, primary biliary cirrhosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis). Furthermore we show that co-expression analyses of lncRNAs and protein-coding genes can predict the signaling pathways in which these AID-associated lncRNAs are involved. Conclusions: The observed enrichment of lncRNA transcripts in AID loci implies an important role for lncRNAs in AID etiology and suggests that lncRNA genes should be studied in more detail to correctly interpret GWAS findings. The co-expression results strongly support a model in which the lncRNA and protein-coding genes function together in the same pathways. 7 immune cell types

Project description:Background: Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified hundreds of variants associated with risk of autoimmune and immune-related disorders (AID), our understanding of the diseases mechanisms is limited. In particular, more than 90% of the risk variants lie in non-coding regions, and almost 10% of these map to long non-coding RNA transcripts (lncRNAs). LncRNAs are known to show more cell-type specificity than protein-coding genes. Methods: In this study, we aimed to characterize lncRNAs and protein-coding genes located in loci associated with nine AID which have been well-defined by Immunochip analysis, by transcriptome analysis across seven peripheral blood leukocyte populations (granulocytes, monocytes, NK cells, B-cells, memory-T cells, naive CD4+ and naive CD8+ T-cells) and four cord blood derived T-helper cell populations (precursor, primary, polarized (Th1, Th2) T-helper cells). Results: We show that lncRNAs mapping to loci shared between AIDs are significantly enriched in immune cell types when compared to lncRNAs from the whole genome (α<0.005). We were not able to prioritize single cell types relevant for specific diseases, but we observed five cell types enriched (α<0.005) in five AID (NK cells for inflammatory bowel disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, primary biliary cirrhosis, psoriasis; memory-T and CD8+ T-cells in juvenile idiopathic arthritis, primary biliary cirrhosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis; Th0 and Th2 cells for inflammatory bowel disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, primary biliary cirrhosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis). Furthermore we show that co-expression analyses of lncRNAs and protein-coding genes can predict the signaling pathways in which these AID-associated lncRNAs are involved. Conclusions: The observed enrichment of lncRNA transcripts in AID loci implies an important role for lncRNAs in AID etiology and suggests that lncRNA genes should be studied in more detail to correctly interpret GWAS findings. The co-expression results strongly support a model in which the lncRNA and protein-coding genes function together in the same pathways.

Project description:Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revolutionized the field of cancer genetics, but the causal links between increased genetic risk and onset/progression of disease processes remain to be identified. Here we report the first step in such an endeavor for prostate cancer. We provide a comprehensive annotation of the 77 known risk loci, based upon highly correlated variants in biologically relevant chromatin annotations- we identified 727 such potentially functional SNPs. We also provide a detailed account of possible protein disruption, microRNA target sequence disruption and regulatory response element disruption of all correlated SNPs at r^2≥0.5. Greater than 88% of the 727 SNPs fall within putative enhancers, many of which alter critical residues in the response elements of transcription factors known to be involved in prostate biology. We define as risk enhancers those regions with enhancer chromatin biofeatures in prostate-derived cell lines with prostate-cancer correlated SNPs. To aid in the identification of these enhancers, we performed genomewide ChIP-seq for H3K27-acetylation, a mark of actively engaged enhancer regions, as well as the transcription factor TCF7L2. We analyzed in depth three variants in risk enhancers, two of which show significantly altered androgen sensitivity in LNCaP cells. This includes rs4907792, that is in linkage disequilibrium (r^2=0.91) with an eQTL for NUDT11 (on the X chromosome) in prostate tissue, and rs10486567, the index SNP in intron 3 of the JAZF1 gene on chromosome 7. Rs4907792 is within a critical residue of a strong consensus androgen response element that is interrupted in the protective allele, resulting in a 56% decrease in its androgen sensitivity, whereas rs10486567 affects both NKX3-1 and FOXA-AR motifs where the risk allele results in a 39% increase in basal activity and a 28% fold-increase in androgen stimulated enhancer activity. Identification of such enhancer variants and their potential target genes represents a preliminary step in connecting risk to disease process. ChIP-seq analysis of H3K27Ac in LNCaP charcoal-stripped serum, H3K27Ac in LNCaP charcoal-stripped serum +DHT, TCF7L2 in LNCaP

Project description:Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revolutionized the field of cancer genetics, but the causal links between increased genetic risk and onset/progression of disease processes remain to be identified. Here we report the first step in such an endeavor for prostate cancer. We provide a comprehensive annotation of the 77 known risk loci, based upon highly correlated variants in biologically relevant chromatin annotations- we identified 727 such potentially functional SNPs. We also provide a detailed account of possible protein disruption, microRNA target sequence disruption and regulatory response element disruption of all correlated SNPs at r^2≥0.5. Greater than 88% of the 727 SNPs fall within putative enhancers, many of which alter critical residues in the response elements of transcription factors known to be involved in prostate biology. We define as risk enhancers those regions with enhancer chromatin biofeatures in prostate-derived cell lines with prostate-cancer correlated SNPs. To aid in the identification of these enhancers, we performed genomewide ChIP-seq for H3K27-acetylation, a mark of actively engaged enhancer regions, as well as the transcription factor TCF7L2. We analyzed in depth three variants in risk enhancers, two of which show significantly altered androgen sensitivity in LNCaP cells. This includes rs4907792, that is in linkage disequilibrium (r^2=0.91) with an eQTL for NUDT11 (on the X chromosome) in prostate tissue, and rs10486567, the index SNP in intron 3 of the JAZF1 gene on chromosome 7. Rs4907792 is within a critical residue of a strong consensus androgen response element that is interrupted in the protective allele, resulting in a 56% decrease in its androgen sensitivity, whereas rs10486567 affects both NKX3-1 and FOXA-AR motifs where the risk allele results in a 39% increase in basal activity and a 28% fold-increase in androgen stimulated enhancer activity. Identification of such enhancer variants and their potential target genes represents a preliminary step in connecting risk to disease process.

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Genetic Risk Variants for Autoimmune Diseases that Influence Gene Expression in Thymus

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