Utility of Polygenic Risk Scores in Families with Exceptional Longevity

Polygenic risk scores (PRS) have been used to assess an individual's risk for various diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study applied the PRS approach to a cohort of families ascertained for healthy aging, that have shown a reduced risk of AD. Using the SNPs identified as significantly associated with AD in the study by Kunkle and colleagues, we examined the utility of PRS for predicting AD risk in a cohort ascertained for familial healthy aging.

We restricted the study to US LLFS study participants who have been evaluated for AD and have available whole genome sequencing (WGS) data. AD diagnosis was based on consensus diagnosis, and for those without consensus diagnosis, we used the algorithm based on standardized memory scores. PRS were calculated using a published weighted formula. To further examine the predictability of PRS, we assessed the relationship between PRS and AD biomarkers, including Aβ₄₂, Aβ₄₀, NfL, and GFAP. Mixed effects models were used to adjust for confounders as well as relatedness among family members. Given the age at onset of common late onset AD, the present study included those who were at least 65 years of age.

We observed that PRS had limited predictive power for AD in this healthy aging cohort. Yet, allele frequencies for the SNPs used in PRS estimation differed between the two studies in a small number (9.7%) of SNPs, suggesting that the lack of effect of the PRS is likely to be due to the small number of AD associated SNPs (12.3% and 16.1%). Subsequent analysis observed no significant association between PRS and biomarkers. This was explained by the low number of SNPs significantly associated with each of the biomarkers.

This study highlights the importance of ascertainment of study population in interpreting PRS. In LLFS, a population at reduced risk of AD, PRS based on genetic variants identified from the general population may be inadequate to explain the variability in AD risk. Our results suggest that genetic risk variants, the basis of PRS, may need to be adjusted according to the study population of interest.