3613 results for "*geneti*"

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• NHLBI GO-ESP: Family Studies (Familial Atrial Fibrillation)

  The NHLBI "Grand Opportunity" Exome Sequencing Project (GO-ESP), a signature project of the NHLBI Recovery Act investment, was designed to identify genetic variants in coding regions (exons) of the human genome (the "exome") that are associated with heart, lung and blood diseases. These and related diseases that are of high impact to public health and individuals from diverse racial and ethnic groups will be studied. These data may help researchers understand the causes of disease, contributing to better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, as well as determine whether to tailor prevention and treatments to specific populations. This could lead to more effective treatments and reduce the likelihood of side effects. GO-ESP is comprised of five collaborative components: 3 cohort consortia - HeartGO, LungGO, and WHISP - and 2 sequencing centers - BroadGO and SeattleGO. Large epidemiological studies have demonstrated a significant heritable component in atrial fibrillation (AF), especially the Lone forms, suggesting a monogenic syndrome. Although substantial genetic contribution has been made to the etiology of AF, the specific genes have not yet been identified. The familial form of this disease remains poorly characterized and largely undetermined. Here we seek to identify, characterize and determine the natural course of AF in our clinical practice. We identified four large multi-generation families (FAF 1-4). In FAF 1-2, most family members have symptomatic paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and were adequately treated with a combination of rate and rhythm therapies. By contrast, the AF substrate in FAF 3 and 4 was resistant to anti-arrhythmic drugs and ablation therapies.

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• High density copy number analysis and whole exome sequencing of unselected chronic lymphocytic leukemia cases and of paired chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Richter Syndrome cases

  Analysis of the chronic lymphocytic leukemia coding genome: role of NOTCH1 mutational activation The pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common leukemia in adults, is still largely unknown since the full spectrum of genetic lesions that are present in the CLL genome, and therefore the number and identity of dysregulated cellular pathways, have not been identified. By combining next-generation sequencing and copy number analysis, we show here that the typical CLL coding genome contains less than 20 clonally represented gene alterations/case, including predominantly non-silent mutations and fewer copy number aberrations. These analyses led to the discovery of several genes not previously known to be altered in CLL. While most of these genes were affected at low frequency in an expanded CLL screening cohort, mutational activation of NOTCH1, observed in 8.3% of CLL at diagnosis, was detected at significantly higher frequency during disease progression toward Richter transformation (31.0%) as well as in chemorefractory CLL (20.8%). Consistent with the association of NOTCH1 mutations with clinically aggressive forms of the disease, NOTCH1 activation at CLL diagnosis emerged as an independent predictor of poor survival. These results provide initial data on the complexity of the CLL coding genome and identify a dysregulated pathway of diagnostic and therapeutic relevance. Genetic Lesions associated with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia transformation to Richter Syndrome Richter syndrome (RS) derives from the rare transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) into an aggressive lymphoma, most commonly of the diffuse large B cell type (DLBCL). The molecular pathogenesis of RS is only partially understood. By combining whole-exome sequencing and copy-number analysis of 9 CLL-RS pairs and of an extended panel of 43 RS cases, we show that this aggressive disease typically arises from the predominant CLL clone by acquiring an average of ~20 genetic lesions/case. RS lesions are heterogeneous in terms of load and spectrum among patients, and include those involved in CLL progression and chemorefractoriness (TP53 disruption and NOTCH1 activation) as well as some not previously implicated in CLL or RS pathogenesis. In particular, disruption of the CDKN2A/B cell cycle regulator locus is associated with ~30% of RS cases. Finally, we report that the genomic landscape of RS is significantly different from that of de novo DLBCL, suggesting that they represent distinct disease entities. These results provide insights into RS pathogenesis, and identify dysregulated pathways of potential diagnostic and therapeutic relevance.

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• Exome Sequencing for Diseases of the Immune System: X-linked Immunodeficiency with Magnesium Defect, EBV Infection, and Neoplasia (XMEN)

  The etiologies of primary immunodeficiencies often yield novel insights about the immune system. Although a genetic etiology has been suspected for patients with abnormally low CD4+ T cells in the absence of HIV infection or any known causes of lymphopenia, no genetic mutation has been described to date for any case of primary CD4 lymphopenia. In this study, we characterized a non-consanguineous family with two non-HIV infected boys exhibiting an inverted CD4 to CD8 T cell ratio and a history of recurrent chronic viral infections since birth. Consistent with a decreased thymic output of CD4+ T cells, the percentage of CD31+ cells in the CD4+ naive population of these patients was decreased. In addition, the activation of T cells was significantly impaired in the patient upon TCR stimulation. Given the mother's T cells show completely skewed X chromosome inactivation, we suspected that the nature of this disease is X-linked. We performed X-chromosome exon-capture targeted single-end Solexa sequencing on two brothers and the mother and found a 10 base pair deletion at an intron-exon junction of Magnesium Transporter 1 (MAGT1), a Mg2+ specific transporter. We confirmed that this deletion leads to altered splicing, frameshift, early termination of the mRNA, and deficient protein expression in the lymphocytes of the two patients. Moreover, knockdown of this transporter in T cells isolated from healthy donors can recapitulate the observed T cell activation defect while its ectopic expression in the patients' lymphocytes can restore T cell stimulation. Our discovery highlights the significance of this transporter to T cell function.

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• NHLBI: Genetic modifiers of sickle cell anemia severity and fetal hemoglobin expression in the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease (CSSCD)

  Phenotypic heterogeneity is characteristic of sickle cell anemia, a Mendelian disorder caused by homozygosity for the sickle HBB gene (glu6val). Patients have different rates of hemolysis/vasculopathy and viscosity/vasoocclusion-related complications. These complications account for a substantial reduction in life expectancy. In 1994, the median life expectancy for men and women with sickle cell anemia was 42 and 48 years, respectively, and despite many advances in care, the annual mortality still approaches 4%. Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is one of the most studied markers of severity of sickle cell anemia, and detailed longitudinal measurements were taken on subjects enrolled in the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease (CSSCD). Cubic root transformation of the median values from follow-up in 848 African American subjects is the phenotype data used in the GWAS of fetal hemoglobin. The analysis was adjusted by sex. Details are in Solovieff et al., Blood 2010 [PMID: 20018918]. To integrate individual disease complications into a comprehensive measure of severity, we developed a model of the associations among clinical and laboratory variables that scored disease severity as the risk of death within 5 years. This network was developed using data obtained from more than 3,400 subjects from the CSSCD, and its accuracy was validated in two unrelated sets of sickle cell patients. Recently, the network was also validated in a small European cohort of patients with sickle cell anemia. We used extreme values of disease severity as cases and control in the GWAS of severity of sickle cell anemia. We conducted the GWAS in 1,265 patients with either "severe" (177) or "mild" disease (1088) based on a network model of disease severity. Details are in Sebastiani et al. Am J Hematol, 2010 [PMID: 20029952].

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• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Genetics

  PCOS is a complex genetic disease reflecting the interplay of susceptibility genes and environmental factors. The cardinal reproductive feature of the syndrome, hyperandrogenemia, appears to play a direct role in the pathogenesis of the associated metabolic abnormalities. Male as well as female first-degree relatives have reproductive and metabolic phenotypes including increased prevalence rates of type 2 diabetes (T2D), metabolic syndrome (MBS) and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Northwestern University (NU) investigators lead a team that has extensive experience in phenotyping PCOS and in the genetic analysis of complex diseases including genome-wide association study (GWAS). Together with an expert group of collaborators from the Hershey Medical Center, and The University of Chicago, we have conducted a GWAS to identify PCOS susceptibility alleles using a large cohort of extensively and consistently phenotyped PCOS cases. Population controls for this study come from the NUgene project described below. NUgene project: In 2002, Northwestern committed to the development of a DNA repository to serve as a platform for the identification and validation of genotype-phenotype associations that will impact healthcare. The NUgene Project is a repository with longitudinal medical information from participating patients at affiliated hospitals and outpatient clinics from the Northwestern University Medical Center. Participants' DNA samples are coupled with data from a questionnaire (2 versions were used, 1 before and 1 after February 2006, both are included) and continuously updated data from our Electronic Medical Record (EMR) representing actual clinical care events. Northwestern has a state-of-the art, comprehensive inpatient and outpatient EMR system of over 2 million patients. NUgene has broad access to participant data for all outpatient visits as well as inpatient data via a consolidated data warehouse. NUgene participants consent to distribution and use of their coded DNA samples and data for a broad range of genetic research by third-party investigators.

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• Genetic Modifiers of Huntington's Disease

  Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder typically diagnosed in mid-life that is caused by expansion of an otherwise polymorphic CAG trinucleotide repeat. The mutation causes a gain-of-function of the huntingtin protein to trigger a pathogenic process that produces detectable phenotypic differences many years before the traditional diagnosis, which is based upon characteristic motor symptoms. The prediagnosis phase of pathogenesis is now the subject of intense scrutiny by an NINDS-funded longitudinal study, PREDICT-HD, in which undiagnosed gene carriers are followed longitudinally and subjected to detailed phenotyping (PREDICT-HD Huntington Disease Study -- dbGaP Study Accession: phs000222). This powerful approach, which offers the potential for moving the focus of therapeutic development to the decades prior to neurological disease diagnosis, is enabled by the fact that all individuals with HD have the same type of mutation, which can be determined at any time in life by a single HD CAG repeat PCR amplification assay. The precise length of the HD CAG repeat differs between individuals. There is a strong negative correlation between the number of CAG repeats and the age at onset of diagnostic neurological abnormalities in HD, such that the CAG repeat accounts for ~50% of the variation in age at diagnosis. Analysis of the remaining variance not explained by the length of the CAG repeat has shown that it is highly heritable, being due to genetic variation, elsewhere in the genome. The intent of the Genetic Modifiers of Huntington's Disease study is to identify genetic modifiers of HD pathogenesis by using genomewide association techniques in diagnosed HD individuals to identify genetic factors associated with the residual variance in age at onset not explained by the CAG repeat, and to extend these analyses to pre-diagnosis phenotypes, for example, those defined in the PREDICT-HD study. Identification of modifier genes is a top priority for HD research (and an example of an approach that can be applied in other late-onset genetic disorders), as it could provide clues to developing rational treatments that delay or prevent the pathogenic process from causing the ravages of the disease that ensue in the ~15 years of inexorable decline to ultimate death that now follows clinical diagnosis. To further that goal, the release of study version 2 makes available whole exome sequencing data of n=221 study participants.

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• Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC) Genome Wide Association Study -NIA Alzheimer's Disease Centers Cohort

  The National Institute on Aging (NIA) Alzheimer's Disease Centers (ADCs) cohort includes subjects ascertained and evaluated by the clinical and neuropathology cores of the 29 NIA-funded ADCs. Data collection is coordinated by the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC). NACC coordinates collection of phenotype data from the 29 ADCs, cleans all data, coordinates implementation of definitions of AD cases and controls, and coordinates collection of samples. The ADC cohort consists of autopsy-confirmed and clinically-confirmed AD cases, and cognitively normal elders (CNEs) with complete neuropathology data who were older than 60 years at age of death, and living CNEs evaluated using the Uniform dataset (UDS) protocol who were documented to not have mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and were between 60 and 100 years of age at assessment. ADCs sent frozen tissue from autopsied subjects and DNA samples from some autopsied subjects and from living subjects to the National Cell Repository for Alzheimer's Disease (NCRAD). DNA was prepared by NCRAD for genotyping and sent to the genotyping site at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. ADC samples were genotyped and analyzed in separate batches. [Reprinted from AC Naj et al. Common variants at MS4A4/MS4A6E, CD2AP, CD33 and EPHA1 are associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Nature Genetics 43, 436-441 (2011). doi:10.1038/ng.801. PMID: 21460841.]

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• Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS)

  The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS) is a multi-center prospective, longitudinal, observational study of risk factors for vertebral and all non-vertebral fractures in older men, and of the sequelae of fractures in men. The original specific aims of the study include: (1) to define the skeletal determinants of fracture risk in older men, (2) to define lifestyle and medical factors related to fracture risk, (3) to establish the contribution of fall frequency to fracture risk in older men, (4) to determine to what extent androgen and estrogen concentrations influence fracture risk, (5) to examine the effects of fractures on quality of life, (6) to identify sex differences in the predictors and outcomes of fracture, (7) to collect and store serum, urine and DNA for future analyses as directed by emerging evidence in the fields of aging and skeletal health, and (8) define the extent to which bone mass/fracture risk and prostate diseases are linked. The MrOS study population consists of 5,994 community dwelling, ambulatory men aged 65 years or older from six communities in the United States (Birmingham, AL; Minneapolis, MN; Palo Alto, CA; Monongahela Valley near Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR; and San Diego, CA). Inclusion criteria were designed to provide a study cohort that is representative of the broad population of older men. The inclusion criteria were: (1) ability to walk without the assistance of another, (2) absence of bilateral hip replacements, (3) ability to provide self-reported data, (4) residence near a clinical site for the duration of the study, (5) absence of a medical condition that (in the judgment of the investigator) would result in imminent death, and (6) ability to understand and sign an informed consent. To qualify as an enrollee, the participant had to provide written informed consent, complete the self-administered questionnaire (SAQ), attend the clinic visit, and complete at least the anthropometric, DEXA, and vertebral X-ray procedures. There were no other exclusion criteria. The baseline examination was completed over a 25-month period from March 2000 to April 2002. Participants completed questionnaires regarding medical history, medications, physical activity, diet, alcohol intake, and cigarette smoking. Objective measures of anthropometric, neuromuscular, vision, strength, and cognitive variables were obtained at a clinic visit. Skeletal assessments included DEXA, calcaneal ultrasound, and vertebral radiographs. Vertebral and proximal femoral QCT was performed on a subset (65%) of participants. Serum, urine, and whole blood specimens were collected. During the study period, participants complete a tri-annual questionnaire every four months that obtains information concerning the occurrence of incident falls and fractures. Follow-up is over 99% complete. All reported fractures are confirmed using physician review of radiology reports or study radiologist review of x-rays. All deaths are also centrally adjudicated using death certificates and recent hospitalization records. In additional to the baseline study visit and tri-annual questionnaires, all surviving active participants were invited to follow-up visits and questionnaires. A second comprehensive clinic visit was completed between March 2005 and May 2006 or about 4.5 years after baseline. Most baseline measures, including vertebral radiographs, were repeated at the second visit. A third comprehensive clinic visit was completed between March 2007 and March 2009 or about 7.0 years after baseline. Many baseline measures were repeated at the third visit. A measure of energy expenditure was also obtained utilizing an accelerometer based armband device. Surviving participants have also completed two extensive mailed questionnaires designed to updated information obtained at clinic visits. The first questionnaire was mailed between baseline and visit 2 between July 2002 and March 2004. The second questionnaire was mailed after the third questionnaire between March 2009 and February 2011. The MrOS Sleep Study, an ancillary study of the parent MrOS cohort, was conducted between December 2003 and March 2005 and recruited 3,135 MrOS participants for a comprehensive sleep assessment. Men were screened for nightly use of mechanical devices during sleep including pressure mask for sleep apnea (CPAP or BiPAP), mouthpiece for snoring or sleep apnea, or oxygen therapy and were generally excluded. The sleep visit included objective measures of sleep using actigraphy and polysomnography. Other measures at the sleep visit include neuropsychiatric measures, performance measures, health related questionnaires, routine exam measures previously completed at MrOS clinic visits and a urine and serum specimen collection. During the sleep study period, participants complete a tri-annual questionnaire every four months that contains information about incident cardiovascular events. All reported events are centrally adjudicated utilizing hospital records, study ECGs and other supporting documentation. The Hip Osteoarthritis study, another ancillary study of the parent MrOS cohort, was completed at the second clinic visit between March 2005 and May 2006. Participants were asked for consent for a hip x-ray and osteoarthritis measurements were obtained from these x-rays. DNA was extracted from baseline whole blood samples for use in genetic research. Consent for use of DNA was obtained through written consent. Raw GWAS data is housed at the study's coordinating center and not released as part of the dbGAP release. The raw data can be requested from the study's coordinating center. Only QC cleaned Plink files are available on dbGAP.

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• Genome-Wide Association of Native and Post Aspirin Platelet Function Phenotypes

  The goal of this study was to identify genetic variants in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) that are associated with previously obtained platelet function phenotypes measured in each individual under baseline conditions and following 2 weeks of low dose aspirin (ASA). During this study we performed a high density 1 million-SNP genome scan on subjects from GeneSTAR (representing 800 2-generational families with a family history of premature coronary artery disease, 60% white and 40% African American, N=3232). We identified genomic loci associated with quantitative platelet phenotypes prioritized for their biological interest, determined associations between genomic loci and baseline platelet phenotypes (primary phenotypes are platelet aggregation in platelet rich plasma induced by collagen, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), arachidonic acid (AA), and epinephrine (Epi), determined associations between genomic loci and post-ASA platelet phenotypes, ie, measures of ASA "resistance" (primary phenotypes are as above, plus urinary levels of the prostaglandin metabolite, 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 ), and compared peaks of association between genomic loci and three common baseline platelet phenotypes (collagen-, epinephrine-, and ADP-induced aggregation in platelet rich plasma) with associations found for these same phenotypes in the Framingham Heart Study. We also determined whether any significant genotype-phenotype associations in the 1 million SNP genome scan could be localized to any specific genes or potential genes of interest using publicly available databases and further examined whether candidate genes previously associated with a specific platelet phenotype are located in a genomic region of interest as determined from the SNP genome scan. We conducted replications of our findings, and are presently involved in larger scale meta-analysis of findings for pre-aspirin and post-aspirin associations. The study population is constituted of full siblings (SIBS) (ages 35-78 years) identified from The Johns Hopkins Sibling Study, now called GeneSTAR, the spouses of the SIBS, and their adult offspring (>21 years of age). They include 3200 individuals from approximately 300 African American and 500 white extended families. "Spouse" refers to the other parent of any SIB offspring, independent of marital status. Sibship sizes among families range from 1 to 16 (excluding index cases). On average, each SIB has 2 potentially eligible offspring. A family for this study is defined by all of the full sibships and the total numbers of offspring that come from all SIBS, rather than just the nuclear family.

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• Epidemiological study comparing rates and risk factors for dementia in African Americans in Indianapolis and Yoruba living in Ibadan, Nigeria

  In 1991 collaboration between researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine and the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria established the Indianapolis-Ibadan Dementia Project. It is a longitudinal, prospective population-based comparative epidemiological study of the prevalence and incidence rates and risk factors of Alzheimer's disease and other age associated dementias. The project compares samples of community-dwelling elderly (age > 70 years) African Americans living in Indianapolis to Yoruba living in Ibadan, Nigeria, employing the same research design, methods, and investigators. It initially reported significantly lower prevalence rates of disorders in the Yoruba compared to the African Americans. In subsequent waves of the study (1994-1995, 1997-1998) incidence rates, rates of newly diagnosed cases, were also found to be significantly lower in the Yoruba. In genetic studies, the frequency of the APOE 4 allele was about the same in the two groups. APOE 4 was a significant risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and dementia in the Americans, while no association was found for the Yoruba. The APOE 2 allele appears to be protective in the Americans, but not the Yoruba. A constellation of factors often associated with vascular risk including a history of hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels is less common in the Yoruba than in the American group. An interaction was observed between cholesterol, APOE genotype and Alzheimer's disease in both study groups. In 2001-2002 survivors of the original cohort were once again evaluated (N~800 in each site) and 2,000 additional individuals age 70 years and older were enrolled in each site. Blood samples were collected from approximately 1,500 study participants in each site for genetic studies and analysis of biochemical risk factors for vascular disease. Subsequent waves of field work were conducted in 2004, 2007, 2009, and 2011. This fieldwork followed the classic two-stage study design. The study design involves an in-home screening interview with the study participant, which includes a cognitive assessment, medical history and current medications, brief neurological examination, height and weight, blood pressure measurement and assessment of social involvement. There is also a screening interview with a close relative of the study participant to assess activities of daily living, personality change, and medical history of the study participant. On the basis of the screening interview a sample of study participants (N~500 in each site) is selected for a full clinical diagnostic dementia work up which includes a neurological test battery, extensive interview with a family member and examination by a clinician. Diagnoses are made in a consensus diagnosis conference using the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition (DSM-III R) and International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) for dementia. The criteria of the National Institute for Neurological and Communicative Disease and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association were used to diagnose possible and probable Alzheimer's disease. The focus of the study is risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer's disease, but also of particular importance is the question of mild cognitive impairment. This refers to the condition of having some decline in cognition but the decline is not sufficient to meet the criteria for dementia. We have studied this over the course of this project. In follow up studies of individuals who have this diagnosis about one third of them are better at follow up, about a third are about the same, and about a third decline more to meet the criteria for dementia. This is a very important issue for researchers because the ultimate goal of the research is to figure out how to identify the individuals who will definitely progress to dementia. If there are clear identifiers, it would be possible to make interventions, while individuals still function well, and possibly prevent the development of dementia altogether or delay the onset significantly. This is crucial because at the moment individuals usually do not enter into the medical care system until the dementia symptoms are quite severe, and the pathological damage to the brain cannot be undone.

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• Genomic Wide Scans for Female Osteoporosis Genes

  Osteoporosis is a condition of excessive skeletal fragility which results in high risk to low trauma fractures. It is the most prevalent metabolic bone disease and is a major public health problem which may result in devastating morbidity and mortality. The most powerful, measurable determinant of fracture risk is bone mineral density (BMD). More than 60% of BMD variation is attributable to genetic factors. There are gender differences in BMD that contribute to a substantially higher fracture risk among women than men. Genetic studies demonstrate that some osteoporosis risk genes/genomic regions are gender specific. However, specific such genes contributing to female BMD and to the sex differences of BMD are largely unknown. Recent rapid progresses in SNP genotyping technology, in our knowledge about human genome diversity and linkage disequilibrium (LD) patterns in the human genome as revealed have made it feasible and timely to pursue a powerful whole genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genes for BMD. The major goal of this project is to perform a powerful GWAS study in a large sample of US Caucasian subjects. Gender specific effects of the genetic variants will be examined. The significant genetic variants discovered will be used to design diagnostic DNA chips for prognosis for potential health problems of osteoporosis later in life.

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• Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA)

  The Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA): GENOA is one of four research networks that form the NHLBI Family Blood Pressure Program (FBPP). From its inception in 1995, GENOA's long-term objective was to elucidate the genetics of hypertension and its arteriosclerotic target-organ damage, including both atherosclerotic (macrovascular) and arteriolosclerotic (microvascular) complications involving the heart, brain, kidneys, and peripheral arteries. Two GENOA cohorts were originally ascertained (1995-2000) through sibships in which at least 2 siblings had essential hypertension diagnosed prior to age 60 years. All siblings in the sibship were invited to participate, both normotensive and hypertensive. These include non-Hispanic White Americans from Rochester, MN (n =1583 at the 1st exam) and African Americans from Jackson, MS (N=1854 at the 1st exam). During the second exam (2000-2005), approximately 80% of participants were re-recruited. The GENOA data consists of biological samples (DNA, serum, urine) as well as demographic, anthropometric, environmental, clinical, biochemical, physiological, and genetic data for understanding the genetic predictors of diseases of the heart, brain, kidney, and peripheral arteries. Family Blood Pressure Program (FBPP): GENOA's parent program, the FBPP, is an unprecedented collaboration to identify genes influencing blood pressure (BP) levels, hypertension, and its target-organ damage. This program has conducted over 21,000 physical examinations, assembled a shared database of several hundred BP and hypertension-related phenotypic measurements, completed genome-wide linkage analyses for BP, hypertension, and hypertension associated risk factors and complications, and published over 130 manuscripts on program findings. The FBPP emerged from what was initially funded as four independent networks of investigators (HyperGEN, GenNet, SAPPHIRe and GENOA) competing to identify genetic determinants of hypertension in multiple ethnic groups. Realizing the greater likelihood of success through collaboration, the investigators began working together during the first funding cycle (1995-2000) and formalized this arrangement in the second cycle (2000-2005), creating a single confederation with program-wide and network-specific goals.

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• eMERGE Genome-Wide Association Studies of Obesity (Metabochip)

  The Geisinger eMERGE Genome Wide Association Studies of Obesity (Metabochip) Project is a genetic study of a cohort of primarily Caucasian patients with extreme obesity who have undergone bariatric surgery. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, in which intestinal anatomy is altered, dramatically ameliorates and/or eliminates Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in 50-80% of patients within hours to days following surgery, well before significant weight loss, in contrast to other types of bariatric surgeries, such as gastric banding, that attenuate insulin resistance as a result of substantial weight loss that occurs over months to years. The molecular mechanism by which RYGB exerts this clinical phenomenon is not known. The goal of this project was to conduct a genome wide association study (GWAS) to identify genetic variants associated with amelioration in T2D defined by medication independence. Identifying genetic variants that influence the dramatic resolution of T2D from RYGB may identify novel targets for pharmacological T2D therapies and/or identify patients in whom RYGB may not be effective.

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• deCODE Genetics study on genes contributing to nicotine dependence in humans

  A genome-wide association study on smoking behavior and nicotine dependence in Icelandic smokers, assessed by the number of cigarettes smoked per day, smoking initiation and degree of dependence on nicotine. The number of cigarettes smoked per day was ascertained through questionnaires given to individuals participating in multiple disease projects at deCODE Genetics (n=16,483). Smoking initiation was analyzed by comparing those that have ever smoked (n=16,483) versus those that have never smoked (n=21,667). The nicotine dependence analysis included 3,435 nicotine dependent cases (score 4 or higher on Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) or endorsement of at least three of the seven Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition (DSM-IV) criteria) and 3,344 low-quantity smokers as controls.

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• CIDR Whole Exome Sequencing in Joubert Syndrome

  The purpose of this study is to identify new genetic causes of neurodevelopmental diseases (NDDs) in the Joubert syndrome (JS) spectrum. Joubert syndrome is a recessive disease characterized by cerebellar vermis hypoplasia. Our currently funded NINDS award entitled "Molecular characterization of Joubert syndrome" seeks to identify new genetic causes through a variety of molecular strategies. Although our previous strategies involved whole genome SNP-scans, followed by candidate gene sequencing to arrive at identification of new JS causes, we have recently moved to Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) as a highly efficient methodology that is optimized for recessive disease. In this pilot project, CIDR has sequenced DNA on probands from 20 inbred families with JS spectrum disorders in which known causes have been excluded, that have not previously undergone genome-wide SNP scans. These paired end reads will be subject to our established bioinformatics pipeline including HOMOZGYOSITY, SNP and INDEL callers in our lab to identify potentially deleterious sequence changes (PDSC). This is followed by analysis to include testing each PDSC for segregation in the whole pedigree, for occurrence in a ethnically-matched cohort, as well as a defined patient cohort patients, in order to validate new NDD genes.

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• Genome-Wide Association Study of Breast Cancer in the African Diaspora - the ROOT study

  The paucity of data on the genetic epidemiology of breast cancer for racial/ethnic groups other than those of European ancestry hinders the development of innovative interventions to reduce health disparities. Women in the African Diaspora experience a disproportionate burden of pre-menopausal breast cancer in comparison to all other races for reasons that remain unknown and understudied. This higher proportion of early-onset breast cancer might suggest a stronger genetic component in these populations. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed several genetic loci that confer risk of breast cancer. Because all GWAS started the discovery stage in women of European ancestry and replicated mainly in women of European ancestry, we propose a novel approach for a GWAS in indigenous African women to identify alleles associated with breast cancer risk which will then be replicated in other populations. This innovative design builds on our current understanding of the etiologic heterogeneity in breast cancer and the distribution of breast cancer molecular subtypes which differ between women of African ancestry and women of European ancestry. The major objective of the proposed studies is to get to the "root" causes of breast cancer by identifying breast cancer risk alleles in a pooled sample of women of African ancestry and to replicate our findings in other populations. To achieve this objective, we conducted a case control study of breast cancer in women of African ancestry, including Africans living in Nigeria, African Americans and African Barbadians. We will genotype ~3800 individuals using the Illumina HumanOmni2.5-Quad platform. We will conduct both standard and novel genetic analyses of the data to map genes associated with breast cancer susceptibility, verify genotyping and carry out fine-mapping studies in genes or regions showing association with breast cancer risk, and replicate in other African American and non-African American populations. By pooling unique resources from studies throughout the African Diaspora, this study has the potential to identify risk alleles in several genes that contribute to increased breast cancer risk and may have implications for early detection, prognosis and treatment of breast cancer in ALL women. This should ultimately lead to improved outcomes for those who suffer a disproportionate burden of early-onset breast cancer.

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• Epigenetic Profiling of Human Colorectal Cancer

  DNA methylation, together with chromatin modifications, constitute the epigenome that functions to regulate gene expression and genome integrity. DNA methylation alterations are ubiquitous in human cancers, as many genes acquire DNA methylation in a cancer-specific manner. DNA methylation at these sites in the genome of cancer cells not only serves as a marker for tumor identification, but together with gene mutation and gene expression data, can also be used to describe subsets of tumors of the same organ source. We have previously shown distinct human colorectal cancer subtypes based on DNA methylation differences. Correlating these DNA methylation differences with clinical co-variates will serve to further understand how these distinct subtypes are generated. We have collected 100 colorectal tumor tissues (for which clinical information is known) and have obtained (unprotected) genome-wide DNA methylation and chromatin modification information for each sample for the purposes of identifying and classifying unique tumor subtypes of colorectal cancers. In addition, we have determined mutations of key genes relevant to colorectal cancer as well as gene expression profiles. We will use the clinical data for each de-identified sample to correlate with the DNA methylation, mutation and gene expression information so as to understand the driving forces behind these distinct colorectal subtypes. We have selected the most promising tumors for whole-genome bisulfite sequencing using next-generation sequencing technology to obtain complete maps of colon cancer methylomes. Researchers will be unable to identify the subjects because the samples and associated information have been de-identified and anonymized by the tissue source site. In addition, upon receipt by the USC Epigenome Center, we have assigned new random identifiers for each sample. The data generated using these new codes are not traceable to the patient identity.

  Study phs000385

• Charles R. Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine (IPM) BioBank Genome Wide Association Study of Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic Phenotypes

  The Institute for Personalized Medicine (IPM) Biobank Project is a consented, EMR-linked medical care setting biorepository of the Mount Sinai Medical Center (MSMC) drawing from a population of over 70,000 inpatients and 800,000 outpatient visits annually. MSMC serves diverse local communities of upper Manhattan, including Central Harlem (86% African American), East Harlem (88% Hispanic Latino), and Upper East Side (88% Caucasian/white) with broad health disparities. IPM Biobank populations include 28% African American (AA), 38% Hispanic Latino (HL) predominantly of Caribbean origin, 23% Caucasian/White (CW). IPM Biobank disease burden is reflective of health disparities with broad public health impact: average body mass index of 28.9 and frequencies of hypertension (55%), hypercholesterolemia (32%), diabetes (30%), coronary artery disease (25%), chronic kidney disease (23%), among others. Biobank operations are fully integrated in clinical care processes, including direct recruitment from clinical sites, waiting areas and phlebotomy stations by dedicated Biobank recruiters independent of clinical care providers, prior to or following a clinician standard of care visit. Recruitment currently occurs at a broad spectrum of over 30 clinical care sites. Minorities are strikingly underrepresented in GWAS, including Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and Chronic Kidney Disease; multigenic genetic risk scores for CAD have been recently validated in European ancestry populations, but not in AA or HL populations. Several important opportunities exist for extending additional GWAS to minority populations with a shared risk spectrum of CAD and CKD. For example, progressive CKD is a major and independent risk factor for CVD with an inverse relationship between estimated GFR (eGFR), and risk for mortality and cardiovascular events. This increased risk is only partially explained by the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among these patients. We conducted a GWAS of CAD and CKD related phenotypes in IPM Biobank with the primary objective to explore the genetics of overlapping CAD and CKD predominantly in minority populations characterized by increased risk.

  Study phs000388

• GEnetics of Nephropathy - an International Effort (GENIE) GWAS of Diabetic Nephropathy in the UK GoKinD and All-Ireland Cohorts

  Diabetic kidney disease, or diabetic nephropathy (DN), is one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease in the United States and worldwide. DN is a common complication of long-standing type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The clinical course is characterized by development of proteinuria and gradual loss of kidney function. Although existing treatments that decrease proteinuria have been shown to moderately abate progression of diabetic kidney disease, many affected patients, who do not die from cardiovascular disease, go on to develop terminal renal failure, necessitating costly renal replacement therapies, such as dialysis and renal transplantation. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) can have its onset in childhood and affected individuals often develop end-stage renal disease in early adulthood, leading to further loss of quality of life. The genetic basis of the disease is not well understood. The GENIE (GEnetics of Nephropathy an International Effort) consortium was initiated to perform the most comprehensive and well powered DN susceptibility genome wide association study (GWAS) analysis to date, using the largest collection of type 1 diabetics with and without kidney disease across four study cohorts. The UK-ROI samples were genotyped as part of this project. UK-ROI Sample Description The UK-ROI collection consists of samples derived from the Republic of Ireland (Dr. Catherine Godson, PI, at University College, Dublin, Ireland) and the United Kingdom (Warren 3 and Genetics of Kidneys in Diabetes UK, UK GoKinD, Dr. Alexander P. Maxwell, PI, at Queen's University of Belfast, UK). All study subjects met the inclusion criteria: white individuals with T1D, diagnosed before 31 years of age, whose parents and grandparents were born in the British Isles.

  Study phs000389

• Determining Genetic Role in Treatment Response to Anti-Platelet Interventions (The PAPI Study)

  CHD is the leading cause of death in the United States. One of the most common ways to prevent CHD is to take an anti-platelet agent, which lessens platelet aggregation. Two of the most common anti-platelet agents are aspirin and clopidogrel. However, up to 25% to 30% of people do not respond to these medications. Evidence indicates that treatment response may be related to genetics. The purpose of this study is to determine specific gene variants that predict response to aspirin and clopidogrel therapy. This study is part of a larger group of studies called the Pharmacogenomics Research Network (PGRN). Participants are from the Old Order Amish of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are well suited for genetic studies because they are a homogenous, closed, founder population. Participants received 300 mg of clopidogrel on the first day, then 75 mg of clopidogrel per day for the next 6 days. On the last day of clopidogrel treatment, participants took a single dose of 324 mg aspirin. Participants underwent platelet function tests before and after clopidogrel alone, and then again after taking clopidogrel plus aspirin. Using the gene variation profiles across the genome, researchers analyzed which variants correspond to treatment response.

  Study phs000391

• Exome sequencing of autosomal recessive progressive external ophthalmoplegia (arPEO)

  Progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO) is an inherited mitochondrial disease that follows either autosomal dominant or recessive forms of inheritance (adPEO or arPEO). AdPEO is a genetically heterogeneous disease and several genes including POLG1 and C10orf2/Twinkle have been identified as responsible genes. On the other hand, POLG1 was the only established gene causing arPEO with mitochondrial DNA deletions. We previously reported a case of PEO with unidentified genetic etiology. The patient was born of a first-cousin marriage. Therefore, the recessive form of inheritance was suspected. To identify the disease causing variant in this patient, we subjected the patient's DNA to whole-exome sequencing and narrowed down the candidate variants using public data and runs of homozygosity analysis.

  Study phs000392

• Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) Imputation Reference Dataset

  We have built a new resource for imputation of SNPs for existing and future genome-wide association studies (GWAS), known as the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) Reference Set. The first build of the data set includes 728 cancer-free individuals of European descent from three large prospectively sampled studies, 98 African-American individuals from the Prostate, Lung, Colon, and Ovary Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO), 74 Chinese individuals from a Chinese clinical trial in Shanxi, China (SHNX), and 349 unrelated individuals from the HapMap Project (see Molecular Data Section for details on arrays used). The final harmonized dataset includes 2.8 million autosomal polymorphic SNPs on 1,249 subjects after rigorous quality control metrics were applied.

  Study phs000396

• National Institute on Aging (NIA) Long Life Family Study (LLFS)

  The Long Life Family Study (LLFS) is an international collaborative study of the genetics and familial components of exceptional survival, longevity, and healthy aging. Families were recruited through elderly probands (generally in their 90s) who self-reported on the survival history of their parents and siblings, and on the basis of this information, families which showed clustering of exceptional survival were recruited. [Specifically, a Family Longevity Selection Score (FLOSS) ≥7 was required. The FLOSS measures the average excess Observed lifespan over that Expected based upon lifetables, while adding a bonus term for still-living individuals. Thus FLOSS is a useful tool for scoring and selecting families for inclusion in a research study of exceptional survival (Sebastiani et al., 2009, PMID: 19910380)]. Probands resided in the catchment areas of four Field Centers (Boston University, Columbia University, University of Pittsburgh, and University of Southern Denmark). Recruited family members were phenotyped through extensive in-home visits by teams of technicians who traveled all over the USA and Denmark. Blood assays were centrally processed at a Laboratory Core (University of Minnesota) and protocols were standardized, monitored and coordinated through a Data Management Coordinating Center (Washington University). We examined and extensively phenotyped in all major domains of healthy aging, 4,953 individuals in 539 families through comprehensive in-home visits. Of these, 4,815 gave dbGaP sharing permission and had sufficient quantity/quality of DNA for GWAS genotyping. This large collection of families, selected on the basis of clustering for exceptional survival, is a unique resource for the study of human longevity and healthy aging. We estimate that less than 1% of the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) families (a roughly random population family sample) would meet the minimal entrance criteria for exceptional survival required in the LLFS (Sebastiani et al., 2009, PMID: 19910380). Thus, the least exceptional LLFS families show more clustering for exceptional longevity than 99% of the FHS families. Although the LLFS pedigrees were selected on the basis of longevity per se in the upper generation (and the generation above that), the children's generation have significantly lower rates of many major diseases and have better healthy aging profiles for many disease phenotypes (Newman et al., 2011, PMID: 21258136). The participants had their first in-person visit between 2006 and 2009. After that visit, they were contacted annually by telephone to update vital status, medical history, and general health. Between 2014 and 2017, willing participants completed a second in-person visit. The second visit followed the same protocols and centralized training as the first visit. During the second visit, a portable carotid ultrasound exam was added. Again, participants were continuously contacted annually for telephone follow-up during the period of the second in-person visit and after that. Annual telephone follow-ups currently ongoing, and plans for a third in-person visit are in progress.

  Study phs000397

• National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) GO-ESP: Heart Cohorts Component of the Exome Sequencing Project (ARIC)

  The NHLBI "Grand Opportunity" Exome Sequencing Project (GO-ESP), a signature project of the NHLBI Recovery Act investment, was designed to identify genetic variants in coding regions (exons) of the human genome (the "exome") that are associated with heart, lung and blood diseases. These and related diseases that are of high impact to public health and individuals from diverse racial and ethnic groups will be studied. These data may help researchers understand the causes of disease, contributing to better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, as well as determine whether to tailor prevention and treatments to specific populations. This could lead to more effective treatments and reduce the likelihood of side effects. GO-ESP is comprised of five collaborative components: 3 cohort consortia - HeartGO, LungGO, and WHISP - and 2 sequencing centers - BroadGO and SeattleGO. HeartGO is a consortium of six well-phenotyped NHLBI cohorts: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, the Cardiovascular Health Study, the Framingham Heart Study, the Jackson Heart Study, and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Together, these cohorts have provided DNA and phenotype datasets from a diverse cohort of individuals of African-American, Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic ancestry to be made available for use by qualified investigators in dbGaP. HeartGO investigators will conduct genotype-phenotype analyses for phenotypes related not only to heart disease but with other variables that will be contributed to dbGaP. The HeartGO dataset provides investigators with genotype-phenotype analytic opportunities for traits not only related to heart disease but also associated with ancillary variables that will be contributed to dbGaP, including disease endpoints, risk factors, biomarkers, and subclinical disease measures. The phenotypes planned for investigation as part of the GO-ESP HeartGO project include early-onset myocardial infarction (EOMI), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, body mass index/type 2 diabetes (BMI/T2D), blood pressure and ischemic stroke. Results of the proposed analyses as well as relevant replication/follow-up analyses will be reported in peer-reviewed journals. This study phs000398 contains the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) subset of GO-ESP/Heart-GO. Additional GO-ESP data is also available via dbGaP.

  Study phs000398

• National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) GO-ESP: Heart Cohorts Component of the Exome Sequencing Project (CHS)

  The NHLBI "Grand Opportunity" Exome Sequencing Project (GO-ESP), a signature project of the NHLBI Recovery Act investment, was designed to identify genetic variants in coding regions (exons) of the human genome (the "exome") that are associated with heart, lung and blood diseases. These and related diseases that are of high impact to public health and individuals from diverse racial and ethnic groups will be studied. These data may help researchers understand the causes of disease, contributing to better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, as well as determine whether to tailor prevention and treatments to specific populations. This could lead to more effective treatments and reduce the likelihood of side effects. GO-ESP is comprised of five collaborative components: 3 cohort consortia - HeartGO, LungGO, and WHISP - and 2 sequencing centers - BroadGO and SeattleGO. HeartGO is a consortium of six well-phenotyped NHLBI cohorts: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, the Cardiovascular Health Study, the Framingham Heart Study, the Jackson Heart Study, and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Together, these cohorts have provided DNA and phenotype datasets from a diverse cohort of individuals of African-American, Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic ancestry to be made available for use by qualified investigators in dbGaP. HeartGO investigators will conduct genotype-phenotype analyses for phenotypes related not only to heart disease but with other variables that will be contributed to dbGaP. The HeartGO dataset provides investigators with genotype-phenotype analytic opportunities for traits not only related to heart disease but also associated with ancillary variables that will be contributed to dbGaP, including disease endpoints, risk factors, biomarkers, and subclinical disease measures. The phenotypes planned for investigation as part of the GO-ESP HeartGO project include early-onset myocardial infarction (EOMI), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, body mass index/type 2 diabetes (BMI/T2D), blood pressure and ischemic stroke. Results of the proposed analyses as well as relevant replication/follow-up analyses will be reported in peer-reviewed journals. This study phs000400 contains the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) subset of GO-ESP/Heart-GO. Additional GO-ESP data is also available via dbGaP.

  Study phs000400