3874 results for "*geneti*"

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• Genomic Analyses of Germline and Somatic Variation in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

  The goal of this study was to identify and characterize germline and somatic genetic variation in women with high grade serous ovarian cancers treated at a single cancer center and their associations with relapse-free and overall survival. We conducted paired tumor/normal targeted next-generation sequencing of 577 genes in pathways of DNA repair, response to DNA damage, cell-cycle regulation, programmed cell death, MAPK, and P13K/AKT/MTOR signaling in 114 tumors from 71 women. In addition, we investigated single copy number alterations (SCNAs) and loss of heterozygosity in a subset of 61 tumors. We validated our results with data from ovarian tumors in TCGA. Our results were similar to other studies of high-grade serous carcinomas. As an example, we found that approximately one third of the tumors harbored loss of function variants in homologous recombination genes and that >90% had TP53 somatic mutations. Through GISTIC analysis of the OncoScan data on tumor DNA from 61 cases, we identified several regions of high copy number alterations including including NOTCH3 and PIK3R2 that were significantly associated with an increase in cancer recurrence and a reduction in overall survival. We identified few changes in mutation profiles where we had multiple tissues, either from multiple surgeries or from the primary site to metastatic sites within the same surgery. However, we did not investigate copy number alterations in multiple tissues from the same individuals, and so it may be that copy number alterations are more important. Data available through dbGAP will be the BAM files and the phenotypic data on the tumor samples, the age, race, ethnicity of the participants and their outcomes, and the Oncoscan OSCHP files.

  Study phs003198

• Precision Medicine for ABCA4 Disease: Modifier Alleles

  Genetic variation affecting the structure and function of the ABCA4 protein gives rise to a broad collection of genetically and clinically heterogeneous diseases, collectively known as ABCA4 disease, which are characterized by both phenotypic overlap and variable penetrance and expressivity. These include autosomal recessive Stargardt disease, cone-rod dystrophy, occult maculopathy, bull's eye macular dystrophy, retinitis pigmentosa-like retinal dystrophy, etc. Some phenotypic variation can be attributed to variability of highly penetrant ABCA4 mutations; however, much of the heterogeneity cannot be explained by ABCA4 mutations alone. The concept of Precision Medicine requires, by definition, identification of all genetic variation contributing to specific disease phenotypes. The main goal of this study is to identify all genetic variation resulting in phenotypes compatible with ABCA4 disease, which, in addition to biallelic disease-causing variants in the ABCA4 locus, include cis- and trans-acting modifiers and mutations in genes other than ABCA4.The study was carried out by performing whole exome sequencing (WES) of affected individuals to identify causal and modifying genetic variation for patients with macular dystrophies compatible with ABCA4 disease. All samples were sequenced with the IDT's Exome Research Panel Version 1 with SeqCap EZ Exome v2 and SeqCap EZ Exome v3 capture kits. Samples were sequenced on Illumina next-generation sequencing machines (San Diego, CA, USA) using DRAGEN Bio-IT Platform v. 2.5.1 (Illumina) to align reads to the Genome Reference Consortium Human Build 37, calling variants in accordance with the Genome Analysis Tool Kit (GATK, v.4.0.2.1) Best Practices Workflow, using ATAV (v.7.0.16) variant-calling pipeline. Variants for analysis were restricted to the consensus coding sequencing public transcripts (CCDS release 20) plus 2 base pair (bp) intronic extensions. Variants were annotated using ClinEff (DnaMiner) with Ensembl-HGRCh37.73 annotations.This set of WES data from unrelated patients of different racial and ethnic backgrounds can be stored and shared through dbGaP. These data provide information on frequencies of disease-causing variants in genes other than ABCA4 in patients with macular dystrophies. These also provide frequencies of selected pathogenic and none-pathogenic variants in different ethnicities.

  Study phs002393

• NHLBI TOPMed: Children's Health Study (CHS) Integrative Genetic Approaches to Gene-Air Pollution Interactions in Asthma (GAP)

  The Integrative Genetic Approaches to Gene-Air Pollution Interactions in Asthma (GAP) study was proposed to use an innovative genetics approach in mice and humans to identify novel variants that interact with traffic-related pollutant exposures to affect lung function phenotypes and the risk of childhood asthma. The study participants were enrolled from the original southern California Children's Health Study (CHS). In the TOPMed project, seven Hispanic White participants who did not have asthma history were included in the WGS analysis.

  Study phs001602

• Population Genetic Testing and SERPINA1 Sequencing Identifies Unidentified Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Alleles and Gene-Environment Interaction with Hepatitis C Infection

  Design and aims: Data were available through an institutional effort to combine de-identified electronic health records (EHR) data with genomic information from a DNA biobank. The design of this work was a retrospective cohort study in which we investigated the rates of liver transplantation and hepatitis C infection as it relates to genotype risk for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). We used regression analysis to look for relationships between these risks and outcomes. This led to further investigation of environmental exposures and phenotypes as it related to the underlying genotypic risk. Population information: The cohort consisted of 72,027 individuals of European ancestry for whom genotype and EHR data were available. Molecular technologies employed: Genome-wide genotyping was previously performed using the Illumina Infinium Expanded Multi-Ethnic Genotyping Array plus custom content (referred to as the Vanderbilt University Medical Center BioVU MEGAEX). Individuals' AATD-related alleles were inferred from the genotyping data. Principal findings of the study: Liver transplantation was associated with presence of the Z AATD allele and with hepatitis C infection. There was a significant interaction between AATD genotype groups and hepatitis C infection as it related to liver transplantation. Data available through dbGaP: Inferred AATD genotype status, sex, age, length of EHR in years, presence/absence of AATD clinical diagnosis, liver transplant status, and hepatitis C infection status.

  Study phs003297

• Chromothripsis in Patient WHIM-09

  We are studying the natural history, pathogenesis and treatment of patients with WHIM syndrome, an immunodeficiency disorder characterized by warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, recurrent infections and neutropenia usually due to autosomal dominant gain-of-function mutations in chemokine receptor CXCR4. We have identified a patient born with WHIM syndrome and the WHIM mutation CXCR4R334X who has been disease-free for 20 years and who lacks CXCR4R334X in myeloid cells, the cells that drive disease manifestations. She is a genetic and hematopoietic mosaic, since she still has the mutation in lymphoid cells and non-hematopoietic cells. Cytogenetics and microarray analysis revealed that the mechanism of loss of the mutation was deletion of the mutant allele from one copy of chromosome 2. Whole genome sequencing of patient neutrophil and skin fibroblast genomic DNA revealed that the mechanism of deletion was chromothripsis, a process of chromosome shattering resulting in deletions and rearrangements of the non-deleted chromosomal segments. In the patient, this process evidently occurred in a single hematopoietic stem cell (HSC), resulting in deletion of the disease allele CXCR4R334X and one copy of 163 other genes on chromosome 2. This HSC evidently acquired a growth advantage and repopulated the HSC population and the myeloid lineage. Consistent with this, studies using gene targeted mice in competitive bone marrow transplantation experiments revealed that selective Cxcr4 haploinsufficiency (inactivation of one copy of Cxcr4 and not of any other genes) was sufficient to confer a strong engraftment advantage over bone marrow cells from wild type mice as well as bone marrow cells from a mouse model of WHIM syndrome. These results suggest that CXCR4 knockdown may be a useful strategy to enhance bone marrow engraftment in the absence of toxic bone marrow conditioning regimens.

  Study phs000856

• Asian Indian Diabetic Heart Study (AIDHS) /Sikh Diabetes Study (SDS)

  The Punjabi Sikh population is a well-defined, carefully collected homogeneous sample from northern India and the US. It has unique characteristics, which are ideal for genetic studies. Sikhs are strictly a non-smoking population and about 50% of participants are life-long vegetarians. All subjects included in the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were recruited from one geographical location. Our population demonstrates a strong familial clustering of type 2 diabetes and related cardio-metabolic disorders that may be genetic and we believe that the contribution of alleles at specific loci are likely to be unique to Punjabi Asians compared to Europeans. Our group first showed that the association of a common variant at rs9939609 in the FTO (fat mass and obesity) gene in South Asians was independent of BMI (PMID:18598350) in contrast to Europeans where the association of same variant with T2D is mediated through obesity (PMID:17434869). These findings were later confirmed in an independent sample of South Indians (PMID:19005641), Pakistanis (PMID:21294771), and even East and South Asians in a large meta-analyses study comprising 96,551 individuals (PMID: 22109280). Earlier reported association of MTNR1B with fasting glucose concentrations and type 2 diabetes in European GWAS could not be confirmed in our Sikh cohort. On the other hand, our study revealed, for the first time, a significant protective association of another less common variant in MTNR1B with fasting glucose levels that was modulated by obesity. Ours was the first report that suggested that the low CETP activity was associated with higher CAD risk (PMID:22143414) in South Asians and that the genetic effects are significantly modulated by environmental factors (alcohol consumption). Our recent GWAS on type 2 diabetes has identified a novel locus at chromosome 13q12 in the SGCG gene (p=1.82x10-8) associated with type 2 diabetes (PMID:23300278) in Punjabi Sikhs. From these findings, we are optimistic that our resource will provide new insights to gene functions in the diabetic pathway and better help researchers to understand and translate these insights to novel therapeutic treatment and early prevention to T2D that may be important beyond Indians.

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• Genetic and Genomic Stability Across Lymphoblastoid Cell Line Expansions

  This study was focused on exploring genetic and genomic stability across cell line expansions. We used DNA and cell lines sampled from six apparently healthy research participants. We assayed genome-wide genetic variants and inferred structural variants for DNA extracted from blood, from transformed cell cultures, and from three generations of expansions.

  Study phs001650

• Genome and Transcriptome Assembly Reveals SVA-Mediated Aberrant Splicing in X-Linked Dystonia Parkinsonism

  X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism (XDP, DYT3) is a long-standing quandary in human disease genetics. XDP is predominantly observed on Panay island in the Philippines. This study is one of the first of its kind to interrogate an unsolved Mendelian disorder by integrating genome and transcriptome assembly methods using Illumina, 10X Genomics, Pacific Biosciences, and Agilent genome targeting technologies. These data provide strong evidence for a pathogenic link between a noncoding SVA retrotransposon and XDP. We demonstrate that this Mendelian disorder is associated with a sine-VNTR-Alu (SVA) retrotransposon that inserted into the TAF1 gene and is shared by all XDP probands, yet never observed in controls from worldwide populations. Transcriptome assembly in iPSC-derived neural stem cells (NSCs) and neurons revealed that this SVA caused aberrant splicing and significant intron retention, which was negatively correlated with TAF1 expression. Remarkably, CRISPR/Cas9 excision of the SVA rescued the aberrant transcriptional signature and normalized expression of TAF1 in patient-derived NSCs. We have also interrogated iPSC-derived microglia to investigate the contribution of glial components to the cellular and molecular deficit, effect of TNF treatment on XDP transcriptional signatures. To further understand what XDP may have in common with other hereditary dystonias (such as DYT6), we are further comparing these signatures to ones associated with dystonia-specific variants in proteins that, like TAF1, are also involved in regulating transcription, i.e. THAP1. 

  Study phs001525

• Modifier Genes in 21-hydroxylase Deficiency

  CAH is a genetic steroidogenesis disorder. The most common form, 21OHD, leads to cortisol deficiency and, in turn, an excess of androgen, a hormone that promotes the development and maintenance of male sex characteristics. As a result of this androgen excess, prepubescent males and newborn, prepubescent, and grown females exhibit mature masculine characteristics. The symptoms and severity of 21OHD vary among individuals with the disease and in adults versus children. The reasons for these differences are not yet known. Current therapy for 21OHD consists of administration of glucocorticoids to replace cortisol and suppress excessive pituitary function. With more information about what genes or factors contribute to the severity of 21OHD, researchers may be able to better treat children and adults with the disease. This study will examine participants' DNA to determine what other genes may affect the severity of 21OHD and may make the disease milder in adults than in children This is a 3-day inpatient study. Once eligibility is confirmed through physical exam and blood analysis, eligible participants are admitted to the study site in the morning on the first study day. A blood sample is taken and participants receive one 10-mg pill of hydrocortisone. Heart rates and blood pressures are taken every 4 hours throughout the day. In the morning of Day 2, a blood sample will be obtained and a 24 hour urine collection will begin. On the morning of Day 3, another blood sample is obtained. Participants then receive intravenous cosyntropin, a synthetic form of a hormone that the body makes. About 1 hour after this, participants provide a final blood sample. Participants receive a pill of hydrocortisone prior to the end of the study.

  Study phs001313

• Rb and p53-Deficient Myxofibrosarcoma and Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma Require Skp2 for Survival

  Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) are highly genetically complex soft tissue sarcomas. Up to 50% of patients develop distant metastases, but current systemic therapies have limited efficacy. MFS and UPS have recently been shown to commonly harbor copy number alterations or mutations in the tumor suppressor genes RB1 and TP53. As these alterations have been shown to engender dependence on the oncogenic protein Skp2 for survival of transformed cells in mouse models, we sought to examine its function and potential as a therapeutic target in MFS/UPS. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) confirmed that a significant fraction of MFS and UPS patient samples (n=94) harbor chromosomal deletions and/or loss-of-function mutations in RB1 and TP53 (88% carry alterations in at least one gene; 60% carry alterations in both). Tissue microarray (TMA) analysis identified a correlation between absent Rb and p53 expression and positive expression of SKP2. Downregulation of SKP2 or treatment with Skp2 Inhibitor C1 revealed that Skp2 drives proliferation of patient-derived MFS/UPS cell lines deficient in both Rb and p53 by degrading p21 and p27. Inhibition of Skp2 using the neddylation-activating enzyme (NAE) inhibitor pevonedistat decreased growth of Rb/p53-negative patient-derived cell lines and mouse xenografts. These results demonstrate that loss of both Rb and p53 renders MFS and UPS dependent on Skp2, which can be therapeutically exploited and could provide the basis for promising novel systemic therapies for MFS and UPS.

  Study phs001982

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Bench to Bassinet Program: The Pediatric Cardiac Genetics Consortium (PCGC)

  Multi-center, prospective observational cohort study of individuals with congenital heart defects (CHD). Phenotypic data and source DNA derived from 10,000 probands, parents, and families of interest are being collected to investigate relationships between genetic factors and phenotypic and clinical outcomes in patients with CHD.

  Study phs000571

• Metagenomics-Guided Pathogen Discovery in Travelers' Diarrhea

  Traveler's diarrhea (TD) is caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), other pathogenic gram-negative pathogens, norovirus and some parasites. Nevertheless, standard diagnostic methods fail to identify pathogens in more than 30% of TD patients, so it is predicted that new pathogens or groups of pathogens may be causative agents of disease. A comprehensive metagenomic study of the fecal microbiomes from 23 TD patients and seven healthy travelers was performed, all of which tested negative for the known etiologic agents of TD in standard tests. Metagenomic reads were assembled and the resulting contigs were subjected to semi-manual binning to assemble independent genomes from metagenomic pools. Taxonomic and functional annotations were conducted to assist identification of putative pathogens. We extracted 560 draft genomes, 320 of which were complete enough to be enough characterized as cellular genomes and 160 of which were bacteriophage genomes. We made predictions of the etiology of disease in individual subjects based on the properties and features of the recovered cellular genomes. Three subtypes of samples were observed. First were four patients with low diversity metagenomes that were predominated by one or more pathogenic E. coli strains. Annotation allowed prediction of pathogenic type in most cases. Second, five patients were co-infected with E. coli and other members of the Enterobacteriaceae, including antibiotic resistant Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Citrobacter. Finally, several samples contained genomes that represented dark matter. In one of these samples we identified a TM7 genome that phylogenetically clustered with a strain isolated from wastewater and carries genes encoding potential virulence factors. We also observed a very high proportion of bacteriophage reads in some samples. The relative abundance of phage was significantly higher in healthy travelers when compared to TD patients. Our results highlight that assembly-based analysis revealed that diarrhea is often polymicrobial and includes members of the Enterobacteriaceae not normally associated with TD and have implicated a new member of the TM7 phylum as a potential player in diarrheal disease.

  Study phs001352

• Shanghai Breast Cancer Genetics Study (SBCGS)

  The Shanghai Breast Cancer Genetics Study (SBCGS) includes data from four population-based studies conducted among Chinese women in urban Shanghai: the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study (SBCS), the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study (SBCSS), the Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS), and the Shanghai Endometrial Cancer Study (SECS, contributing controls only). Shanghai Breast Cancer Study (SBCS): The SBCS is a population-based, case-control study conducted in urban Shanghai. Subject recruitment in the initial phase of the SBCS (SBCS-I) was conducted between August 1996 and March 1998. The second phase (SBCS-II) of recruitment occurred between April 2002 and February 2005. Breast cancer cases were identified through the population-based Shanghai Cancer Registry and supplemented by a rapid case-ascertainment system. Controls were randomly selected using the Shanghai Resident Registry. Approximately 3500 cases and 3500 controls were recruited in the study. Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study (SBCSS) and Shanghai Endometrial Cancer Study (SECS): The SBCSS also used the population-based Shanghai Cancer Registry to identify newly diagnosed breast cancer cases. A total of 5,046 breast cancer patients were recruited. In-person interviews were conducted to collect information on known breast cancer risk factors and anthropometrics by using protocols and questionnaires similar to those used in the SBCS. For genetic studies, controls for the SBCSS cases came from the SECS, which recruited healthy women between January 1997 and December 2003. With the exception of a few questions related specifically to breast or endometrial cancer risk, the questionnaires used in the SECS and the SBCS were very similar. Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS): The SWHS is a population-based prospective cohort study of approximately 75,000 adult women who were recruited between 1997 and 2000. The cohort has been followed by a combination of record linkage and active follow-ups. Breast cancer patients identified in the SWHS and non-cases were included in the current study.

  Study phs001088

• LCCC 1108: Development of a Tumor Molecular Analyses Program and Its Use to Support Treatment Decisions (UNCseqTM)

  The primary objective of this specimen correlative study was two-fold: to provide a mechanism for the association of known molecular alterations with clinical outcomes, and to provide rapid genetic profiling of alterations with known clinical utility using tumor and germline specimens to support treatment decisions.

  Study phs001713

• NINDS Family-Based Whole-Genome Sequencing to Find Modifiers of Age of Onset in Huntington's Disease

  The goal of our studies is to identify genetic modifiers of neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease (HD). HD is caused by expansion of CAG repeats in the huntingtin (Htt) gene, with longer stretches often leading to more rapid disease onset and progression. Yet, for a given number of repeats, the age of symptom onset can be variable, differing by up to decades. Thus, the age of onset of motor symptoms in HD is only partly explained by the length of the CAG expansion. Available evidence suggests that genetic modifiers contribute to the variation in HD onset. Identifying genetic modifiers is important because they may provide critical insights into HD pathogenesis and reveal key pathways that could be targeted by novel HD therapeutics. This is important since there are no disease-modifying therapies for HD, and mHtt is an unattractive small-molecule drug target. We recruited 21 HD families with varying characteristics of disease progression and age of onset and obtained medical histories, clinical records and DNA samples that were subjected to whole-genome sequencing (WGS). These WGS data describe families of 104 subjects, including HD patients and their unaffected family members. These individuals were selected based on individual clinical histories and family structures that best fit our criteria for expressing potential genetic modifiers. We are testing the hypothesis that novel, rare genetic variants contribute to HD and those genetic modifiers can be identified by WGS.

  Study phs001071

• Genetic Associations in Idiopathic Talipes Equinovarus (Clubfoot) - GAIT

  Isolated clubfoot or idiopathic talipes equinovarus (ITEV) is one of the five most common birth defects, affecting approximately 4,000 newborns each year in the US. While the orthopedic care of these children has improved, long-term problems persist and the health care costs are significant. Studies suggest that clubfoot is a complex disorder with segregation analyses and family studies indicating that genetic factors play an important etiologic role in the development of clubfoot. Only one environmental factor, maternal smoking during pregnancy, has been implicated. We postulate that a small number of genes account for a substantial fraction of clubfoot and that these genes can be identified in a defined population. The challenge now is to identify the genetic loci and, later, the effect of environmental exposures. To accomplish this task, it is important to have a well-defined population and the methodology to detect linkage with and without association. Towards these goals, we have identified and characterized multiplex clubfoot families, including two large clubfoot families, a resource which is among the largest ITEV populations in existence. We will perform a high-density SNP genome scan (GWAS) on our clubfoot dataset to identify chromosomal regions that may harbor clubfoot genes with subsequent interrogation of these regions and candidate genes. We are in a position with our unique clubfoot population and with the methodology in place to undertake this study. The study phases are: 1) continued ascertainment of multiplex and simplex families and 2) GWAS and characterization of identified chromosomal regions and candidate genes. The results of this study will provide data essential to the identification of the gene(s) contributing to the clubfoot phenotype. Identification of high-risk genotypes can lead to the development of prevention programs in selected populations and may suggest gene-based prevention strategies.

  Study phs000314

• Myocardial Infarction Genetics Exome Sequencing Consortium: German Heart Center in Munich

  The Munich-MI study is a case-control cohort study recruited at the German Heart Center in Munich, Germany. It is focused on understanding the genetic contributors to early myocardial-infarction (MI) in the German population. All exome sequencing was performed at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT; samples sequence capture was performed using Illumina's ICE Capture reagent and sequencing was performed on an Illumina HiSeq 2000 or 2500.

  Study phs000916

• PROstate Cancer Medically Optimized Genome Enhanced ThErapy (PROMOTE) of Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC) Patients Treated with Abiraterone Acetate

  The Prostate Cancer Medically Optimized Genome-Enhanced Therapy (PROMOTE) study uses genetic clues in castration-resistant prostate cancer that may identify an individualized treatment approach for men with the disease. Understanding the molecular biology behind castration-resistant prostate cancer has led to more treatment options, but there are still no definite conclusions about which specific drug best treats patients - maximum suppression of cancer growth while minimizing side effects. The PROMOTE study explores the genetic characteristics of each tumor to predict these treatment paradigms for the future, resulting in more effective and less toxic options for patients. Our long-term goal is to improve treatments for men with advanced prostate cancer by using genomic sequencing to increase life span and quality of life. We also will uncover novel vulnerable targets in the cancer genome that may provide new drug therapies. PARTICIPATION Eligible participants are men: With castration-resistant prostate cancer or prostate cancer not responding to hormone treatments About to begin abiraterone acetate therapy Agreeable to undergoing two tumor biopsies During the study, participants travel to Mayo Clinic for an initial biopsy (before beginning abiraterone acetate) and a second biopsy approximately three months later. The cell tissue collected is analyzed to identify gene alterations in the tumor that could eventually be targeted with treatments. Tissue is preserved for future research. Participants can continue to be treated by their local cancer care team during this period and beyond. In addition, the Mayo team carefully monitors participants' cancer via follow-up studies and the genetic signature of tumors that were biopsied so that patients may benefit from future treatments.

  Study phs001141

• The MD Anderson Colorectal Cancer Case Control Study

  Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US. Driven by common disease common variants hypothesis, genome-wide association studies only identified a number of common susceptibility loci that explained a small portion of CRC heritability. We conducted a case-control study using whole exome sequencing to identify rare genetic variants with intermediate effect size that predispose individuals to colorectal cancer.

  Study phs002691

• Genetic Analysis of Limb Malformation Disorders: Freeman Sheldon Syndrome Exome Sequencing Study (LMD-FSS)

  The overall goal of this project is to investigate the etiology and pathogenesis of malformations (i.e., birth defects) of the limb, concentrating on abnormalities of limb patterning such as limb deficiency/duplications and multiple congenital contractures. The exome sequences of four unrelated individuals were obtained by massively parallel DNA sequencing. The three individuals were affected with Freeman Sheldon syndrome (OMIM: 193700).

  Study phs000204

• NHLBI GO-ESP: Family Studies (Familial Atrial Fibrillation)

  The NHLBI "Grand Opportunity" Exome Sequencing Project (GO-ESP), a signature project of the NHLBI Recovery Act investment, was designed to identify genetic variants in coding regions (exons) of the human genome (the "exome") that are associated with heart, lung and blood diseases. These and related diseases that are of high impact to public health and individuals from diverse racial and ethnic groups will be studied. These data may help researchers understand the causes of disease, contributing to better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, as well as determine whether to tailor prevention and treatments to specific populations. This could lead to more effective treatments and reduce the likelihood of side effects. GO-ESP is comprised of five collaborative components: 3 cohort consortia - HeartGO, LungGO, and WHISP - and 2 sequencing centers - BroadGO and SeattleGO. Large epidemiological studies have demonstrated a significant heritable component in atrial fibrillation (AF), especially the Lone forms, suggesting a monogenic syndrome. Although substantial genetic contribution has been made to the etiology of AF, the specific genes have not yet been identified. The familial form of this disease remains poorly characterized and largely undetermined. Here we seek to identify, characterize and determine the natural course of AF in our clinical practice. We identified four large multi-generation families (FAF 1-4). In FAF 1-2, most family members have symptomatic paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and were adequately treated with a combination of rate and rhythm therapies. By contrast, the AF substrate in FAF 3 and 4 was resistant to anti-arrhythmic drugs and ablation therapies.

  Study phs000362

• Genome-Wide Association Study of Preterm Birth

  Preterm birth (PTB, born before 37 weeks of gestation) is a leading cause of neonatal mortality and post-natal morbidity. PTB affects one in nine all live births in the U.S. Notably, the highest rate of PTB occurs among African Americans (one in six). PTB is a complex trait, likely determined by multiple environmental and genetic factors and their interactions. We demonstrated strong familial aggregation of preterm and low birthweight in the US Blacks and Whites (Wang et al, NEJM, 1995) and conducted the largest candidate gene study of preterm birth at that time (Hao et al, HMG, 2004). We showed that a subset of mothers with certain metabolic gene variants are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of cigarette smoking on low birthweight and preterm births (Wang et al, JAMA, 2002). We also published a number of papers that examined the effect of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, micronutrient status, stress and environmental toxins on the risk of preterm birth and related conditions. This project, supported by a grant from the NICHD (2R01HD41702, PI, Xiaobin Wang), aimed to conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and apply advanced statistical methods to identify susceptibility loci of PTB in a predominantly urban low-income African American sample, a subset of the Boston Birth Cohort. PUBLIC HEALTH REVELANCE: We anticipate that this study will lead to the identification of novel genetic loci of PTB and gene-environment interactions. Such findings not only will provide important insights into mechanisms leading to PTB, but also may help identify women at high-risk of PTB, which in turn, may lead to the development of early and targeted interventions that can prevent PTB or mitigate the severity and consequences of PTB.

  Study phs000332

• Next Generation Mendelian Genetics: Congenital Hyperinsulinism

  The NHGRI Next Generation Mendelian Genetics project uses exome resequencing to identify variants in unsolved Mendelian diseases. Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) is the most common cause of hypoglycemia in the newborn and it is due to mutations in 8 different genes (ABCC8, KCNJ11, GLUD1, GCK, HADH, SLC16A1, HNF4A and UCP2). It is a heterogeneous disease with variable onset (birth to adulthood) and a persistent, intermittent, or transient course with possible later conversion to non-autoimmune diabetes. Although mutations in the two subunits of the KATP channel (ABCC8 and KCNJ11) account for 50% of the cases, the other half is still genetically unexplained. CHI can be inherited in a dominant or recessive and can also present as a 'de novo' mutation. We became part of this study when we submitted 8 DNA samples for exome sequencing, from patients with CHI of Caucasian ancestry, which had no mutations identified in ABCC8 or KCNJ1, with the goal to identify new mutations in known genes or new mutations in new genes or genetic variants.

  Study phs000539

• The Two Sister Study: A Family-Based Study of Genes and Environment in Young-Onset Breast Cancer

  To study environmental and genetic causes of young onset breast cancer, we recruited women who had been young when recently diagnosed (under age 50 and within 4 years of enrollment), and had been identified as potentially eligible by a sister who was already participating in the ongoing Sister Study. The unaffected sister had already provided consent, questionnaire-based information and DNA (blood-based) when she enrolled in the Sister Study. Her case sister then provided comparable questionnaire-based information and DNA via a mail-back saliva collection kit. To enable family-based analyses, parents were also asked to (only) provide consent and a saliva sample. Because the cases were young-onset, most parents were alive, but unavailability of the parents was not a basis for exclusion. The study was funded in part by Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

  Study phs000678

• Gene Expression of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary-Hypercalcemic Type (SCCOHT)

  Small cell carcinoma of the ovary-hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) is a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer afflicting young women at a median age of 24 years. SCCOHTs are characterized by loss of protein expression of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling ATPases SMARCA4 and SMARCA2 through mutation and epigenetic silencing, respectively. This study aims to establish gene expression profiles of this cancer through RNA-Seq of fourteen pathologically confirmed cases of SCCOHT tumors.

  Study phs001528