Carotid Intima-Media Thickness: Novel Loci, Sex-Specific Effects, and Genetic Correlations With Obesity and Glucometabolic Traits in UK Biobank. Issue 2 (February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Strawbridge, Rona J.; Ward, Joey; Bailey, Mark E.S.; Cullen, Breda; Ferguson, Amy; Graham, Nicholas; Johnston, Keira J.A.; Lyall, Laura M.; Pearsall, Robert; Pell, Jill; Shaw, Richard J.; Tank, Rachana; Lyall, Donald M.; Smith, Daniel J.
• Is Part Of: Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. Volume 40:Issue 2(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Subjects: atherosclerosis -- carotid artery -- coronary artery disease -- diabetes, type 2 -- genetics, association studies -- intima-media thickness -- obesity; Arteriosclerosis -- Periodicals; Thrombosis -- Periodicals; Blood-vessels -- Pathophysiology -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.13
• DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.119.313226
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1079-5642

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of most cardiovascular disease, but mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis are incompletely understood. Ultrasound measurement of the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) can be used to measure vascular remodeling, which is indicative of atherosclerosis. Genome-wide association studies have identified many genetic loci associated with cIMT, but heterogeneity of measurements collected by many small cohorts have been a major limitation in these efforts. Here, we conducted genome-wide association analyses in UKB (UK Biobank; N=22 179), the largest single study with consistent cIMT measurements. Approach and Results: We used BOLT-LMM software to run linear regression of cIMT in UKB, adjusted for age, sex, and genotyping chip. In white British participants, we identified 5 novel loci associated with cIMT and replicated most previously reported loci. In the first sex-specific analyses of cIMT, we identified a locus on chromosome 5, associated with cIMT in women only and highlight VCAN as a good candidate gene at this locus. Genetic correlations with body mass index and glucometabolic traits were also observed. Two loci influenced risk of ischemic heart disease. ConclusionS: These findings replicate previously reported associations, highlight novel biology, and provide new directions for investigating the sex differences observed in cardiovascular disease presentation and progression. Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.