Gene-by-Sleep Duration Interaction for Glycemic Traits in over 480,000 Individuals

Both short and long sleep duration have been associated with poor glycemic control and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although sleep duration may differentially modify the effects of genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes, this has not been systematically investigated. In the present study, we conducted genome-wide gene by sleep duration meta-analyses, separately assessing interactions of short and long sleep, for fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and hemoglobin A1c in up to 489,309 individuals without diabetes from seven different population groups. In total, 16 loci were identified to interact with sleep duration - six with short sleep and ten with long sleep. Of these, four loci were identified through cross-population meta-analysis. Mapped genes exhibit pathway connections to pericyte apoptosis, NMDA receptor activity, the GLUT1 receptor, neurological health, and sleep architecture. Eleven loci (VRK2, PCDH7, TFAP2A, CAP2, PAPPA, ZCCHC2, MYH9, SGIP1, JAKMIP3, RRAS2, MAPT) have not been reported in previous glycemic trait genome-wide association studies. Interaction loci identify divergent biological mechanisms for short and long sleep duration influencing glycemic control, suggesting specific pathways of intervention for precision medicine approaches to diabetes prevention and management.