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Quantile regression analysis reveals widespread evidence for gene-environment or gene-gene interactions in myopia development

  • UK Biobank Eye and Vision Consortium
  • , Alfred Pozarickij
  • , Cathy Williams
  • , Pirro G. Hysi
  • , Jeremy A. Guggenheim
  • School of Optometry & Vision Sciences, CF24 4HQ Cardiff, United Kingdom
  • Population Health Sciences, BS8 2BN Bristol, United Kingdom
  • Department of Ophthalmology, SE1 7EH London, United Kingdom
  • Department of Twin & Genetic Epidemiology, SE1 7EH London, United Kingdom
  • University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
  • Kingston University, Kingston, United Kingdom
  • University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
  • NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
  • King's College London, London, United Kingdom
  • University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
  • Queens University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom
  • University College London, London, United Kingdom
  • University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
  • University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
  • University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
  • University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
  • University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, United Kingdom
  • Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

A genetic contribution to refractive error has been confirmed by the discovery of more than 150 associated variants in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Environmental factors such as education and time outdoors also demonstrate strong associations. Currently however, the extent of gene-environment or gene-gene interactions in myopia is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that refractive error-associated variants exhibit effect size heterogeneity, a hallmark feature of genetic interactions. Of 146 variants tested, evidence of non-uniform, non-linear effects were observed for 66 (45%) at Bonferroni-corrected significance (P < 1.1 × 10 −4) and 128 (88%) at nominal significance (P < 0.05). LAMA2 variant rs12193446, for example, had an effect size varying from −0.20 diopters (95% CI −0.18 to −0.23) to −0.89 diopters (95% CI −0.71 to −1.07) in different individuals. SNP effects were strongest at the phenotype extremes and weaker in emmetropes. A parsimonious explanation for these findings is that gene-environment or gene-gene interactions in myopia are pervasive.

Original languageEnglish
Article number167
JournalCommunications Biology
Volume2
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2019

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