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Copy number polymorphisms near SLC2A9 are associated with serum uric acid concentrations
Robert B Scharpf1, Lynn Mireles, Qiong Yang
1550 N, Broadway, Suite 1101, Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. rscharpf@jhu.edu.
Copy number polymorphisms (CNPs) upstream of the SLC2A9 gene are linked to serum uric acid levels. This discovery reveals a new mechanism influencing uric acid and offers a method for studying genetic traits.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Human Physiology
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Hyperuricemia is linked to gout, cardiovascular, and renal diseases.
- Serum urate levels are highly heritable, but single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) explain only a small fraction.
- The role of copy number polymorphisms (CNPs) in uric acid levels remains unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the contribution of CNPs to serum uric acid levels.
- To identify genetic variations influencing uric acid beyond SNPs.
- To explore novel regulatory mechanisms for urate transport.
Main Methods:
- Genome-wide assessment of CNPs in 8,411 European ancestry individuals (ARIC study).
- Association analysis of CNPs with serum uric acid levels.
- Replication in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) cohort.
- Bioinformatic analysis to assess CNP contribution to heritable traits.
Main Results:
- CNPs upstream of the SLC2A9 gene (chromosome 4p16.1) are significantly associated with serum uric acid.
- The association was strongest in women, with effect sizes independent of known SLC2A9 SNPs.
- Findings were replicated in the FHS, confirming the association and effect size in women.
Conclusions:
- This study is the first genome-wide analysis of CNPs and uric acid.
- Identified CNPs suggest a novel, non-coding regulatory mechanism for SLC2A9-mediated serum uric acid.
- Developed a bioinformatic approach for assessing CNP contributions to heritable traits in large studies.
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