Granell, Raquel, Curtin, John A., Haider, Sadia, Kitaba, Negusse Tadesse, Mathie, Sara A., Gregory, Lisa G., Yates, Laura L., Tutino, Mauro, Hankinson, Jenny, Perretti, Mauro, Vonk, Judith M., Arshad, Hasan S., Cullinan, Paul, Fontanella, Sara, Roberts, Graham C., Koppelman, Gerard H., Simpson, Angela, Turner, Steve W, Murray, Clare S., Lloyd, Clare M., Holloway, John W. and Custovic, Adnan , (2023) A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of childhood wheezing phenotypes identifies ANXA1 as a susceptibility locus for persistent wheezing. eLife, 12, [e84315]. (doi:10.7554/eLife.84315).
Abstract
Background: many genes associated with asthma explain only a fraction of its heritability. Most genome-wide association studies (GWASs) used a broad definition of 'doctor-diagnosed asthma', thereby diluting genetic signals by not considering asthma heterogeneity. The objective of our study was to identify genetic associates of childhood wheezing phenotypes.
Methods: we conducted a novel multivariate GWAS meta-analysis of wheezing phenotypes jointly derived using unbiased analysis of data collected from birth to 18 years in 9,568 individuals from five UK birth-cohorts.
Results: 44 independent SNPs were associated with early-onset persistent, 25 with preschool remitting, 33 with mid-childhood remitting and 32 with late-onset wheeze. We identified a novel locus on chr9q21.13 (close to annexin 1 (ANXA1), p<6.7×10-9), associated exclusively with early-onset persistent wheeze. We identified rs75260654 as the most likely causative single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) using Promoter Capture Hi-C loops, and then showed that the risk allele (T) confers a reduction in ANXA1 expression. Finally, in a murine model of house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic airway disease, we demonstrated that anxa1 protein expression increased and anxa1 mRNA was significantly induced in lung tissue following HDM exposure. Using anxa1-/- deficient mice, we showed that loss of anxa1 results in heightened airway hyperreactivity and Th2 inflammation upon allergen challenge.
Conclusions: targeting this pathway in persistent disease may represent an exciting therapeutic prospect.
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