Stratification by CARD15 variant genotype in a genome-wide search for inflammatory bowel disease susceptibility loci

Previously we have conducted a genome-wide search for inflammatory bowel disease susceptibility loci in a large European cohort. Results from this study demonstrated suggestive evidence of linkage to loci at chromosomes 1q, 6p, and 10p and replicated linkages on chromosomes 12 and 16. Recently, NOD2/CARD15 on chromosome 16q12 has been found to be strongly associated with Crohn's disease. In order to determine if there are other loci in the genome that interact with the three associated functional variants in CARD15 (R702W, G908R, 1007fs), we have stratified our large inflammatory bowel disease genome scan cohort by dividing pedigrees into two groups stratified by CARD15 variant genotype. The two pedigree groups were analysed using non-parametric allele sharing methods. The group of pedigrees that contained one of the three CARD15 variants had two suggestive linkage results occurring in 6p (lod = 3.06 at D6S197, IBD phenotype) and 10p (lod=2.29 at D10S197, CD phenotype). In addition, at 16q12 where CARD15 is located, the original genome scan had a peak lod score of 2.18 at D16S415 (CD phenotype). The stratified pedigree cohort containing one of three CARD15 variants had a peak lod score of 0.90 at D16S415 (CD phenotype), accounting for approximately less than half of the genetic evidence for linkage at this locus. This result is in agreement with the existence of a substantial number of private variants at the NOD2/CARD15 locus. Interaction with NOD2/CARD15 needs to be considered in future gene identification efforts on chromosomes 6 and 10.