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The population-specific impact of Neandertal introgression on human disease.

ABSTRACT: Since the discovery of admixture between modern humans and Neandertals, multiple studies investigated the effect of Neandertal-derived DNA on human disease and non-disease phenotypes. These studies have linked Neandertal ancestry to skin and hair related phenotypes, immunity, neurological and behavioral traits. However, these inferences have so far been limited to cohorts with participants of European ancestry. Here, I analyze summary statistics from 40 disease GWAS cohorts of ?212,000 individuals provided by the Biobank Japan Project for phenotypic effects of Neandertal DNA. I show that Neandertal DNA is associated with autoimmune diseases, prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes. Many of these disease associations are linked to population-specific Neandertal DNA, highlighting the importance of studying a wider range of ancestries to characterize the phenotypic legacy of Neandertals in people today.

SUBMITTER: Dannemann M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7851588 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The Population-Specific Impact of Neandertal Introgression on Human Disease.

Dannemann Michael M

Genome biology and evolution 20210101 1

Since the discovery of admixture between modern humans and Neandertals, multiple studies investigated the effect of Neandertal-derived DNA on human disease and nondisease phenotypes. These studies have linked Neandertal ancestry to skin- and hair-related phenotypes, immunity, neurological, and behavioral traits. However, these inferences have so far been limited to cohorts with participants of European ancestry. Here, I analyze summary statistics from 40 disease GWAS (genome-wide association stu ...[more]

PMID: 33247712

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