0000000000550215
AUTHOR
Eva Lattka
Genome-wide association analyses identify 18 new loci associated with serum urate concentrations
Elevated serum urate concentrations can cause gout, a prevalent and painful inflammatory arthritis. By combining data from >140,000 individuals of European ancestry within the Global Urate Genetics Consortium (GUGC), we identified and replicated 28 genome-wide significant loci in association with serum urate concentrations (18 new regions in or near TRIM46, INHBB, SFMBT1, TMEM171, VEGFA, BAZ1B, PRKAG2, STC1, HNF4G, A1CF, ATXN2, UBE2Q2, IGF1R, NFAT5, MAF, HLF, ACVR1B-ACVRL1 and B3GNT4). Associations for many of the loci were of similar magnitude in individuals of non-European ancestry. We further characterized these loci for associations with gout, transcript expression and the fractional…
Metabolic profiling reveals distinct variations linked to nicotine consumption in humans--first results from the KORA study.
Exposure to nicotine during smoking causes a multitude of metabolic changes that are poorly understood. We quantified and analyzed 198 metabolites in 283 serum samples from the human cohort KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg). Multivariate analysis of metabolic profiles revealed that the group of smokers could be clearly differentiated from the groups of former smokers and non-smokers. Moreover, 23 lipid metabolites were identified as nicotine-dependent biomarkers. The levels of these biomarkers are all up-regulated in smokers compared to those in former and non-smokers, except for three acyl-alkyl-phosphatidylcholines (e.g. plasmalogens). Consistently significant r…