Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Meta-Analysis
. 2014 Mar;2(3):214-25.
doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(14)70002-5. Epub 2014 Feb 7.

Risk loci for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a genome-wide association study and meta-analysis

Collaborators, Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Risk loci for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a genome-wide association study and meta-analysis

Michael H Cho et al. Lancet Respir Med. 2014 Mar.

Abstract

Background: The genetic risk factors for susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are still largely unknown. Additional genetic variants are likely to be identified by genome-wide association studies in larger cohorts or specific subgroups. We sought to identify risk loci for moderate to severe and severe COPD with data from several cohort studies.

Methods: We combined genome-wide association analysis data from participants in the COPDGene study (non-Hispanic white and African-American ethnic origin) and the ECLIPSE, NETT/NAS, and Norway GenKOLS studies (self-described white ethnic origin). We did analyses comparing control individuals with individuals with moderate to severe COPD and with a subset of individuals with severe COPD. Single nucleotide polymorphisms yielding a p value of less than 5 × 10(-7) in the meta-analysis at loci not previously described were genotyped in individuals from the family-based ICGN study. We combined results in a joint meta-analysis (threshold for significance p<5 × 10(-8)).

Findings: Analysis of 6633 individuals with moderate to severe COPD and 5704 control individuals confirmed association at three known loci: CHRNA3 (p=6·38 × 10(-14)), FAM13A (p=1·12 × 10(-14)), and HHIP (p=1·57 × 10(-12)). We also showed significant evidence of association at a novel locus near RIN3 (p=5·25 × 10(-9)). In the overall meta-analysis (ie, including data from 2859 ICGN participants), the association with RIN3 remained significant (p=5·4 × 10(-9)). 3497 individuals were included in our analysis of severe COPD. The effect estimates for the loci near HHIP and CHRNA3 were significantly stronger in severe disease than in moderate to severe disease (p<0·01). We also identified associations at two additional loci: MMP12 (overall joint meta-analysis p=2·6 × 10(-9)) and TGFB2 (overall joint meta-analysis p=8·3 × 10(-9)).

Interpretation: We have confirmed associations with COPD at three known loci and identified three new genome-wide significant associations. Genetic variants other than in α-1 antitrypsin increase the risk of COPD.

Funding: US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the Alpha-1 Foundation; the COPD Foundation through contributions from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and Sepracor; GlaxoSmithKline; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; and US Department of Veterans Affairs.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Local association plots for significant loci for the analysis of moderate-to-severe COPD in COPDGene non-Hispanic whites and African-Americans, ECLIPSE, NETT/NAS, and GenKOLS (Norway). The x-axis is chromosomal position, and the y-axis shows the –log10 P-value. The most significant SNP at each locus is labeled in purple, with other SNPs colored by degree of linkage disequilibrium (r2).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Local association plots for significant loci for the analysis of severe COPD in COPDGene non-Hispanic whites and African-Americans, ECLIPSE, NETT/NAS, and GenKOLS (Norway). The x-axis is chromosomal position, and the y-axis shows the – log10 P-value. The most significant SNP at each locus is labeled in purple, with other SNPs colored by degree of linkage disequilibrium (r2).

Comment in

  • COPD: no gene left unturned.
    Ferrarotti I, Luisetti M. Ferrarotti I, et al. Lancet Respir Med. 2014 Mar;2(3):171-2. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(14)70026-8. Epub 2014 Feb 7. Lancet Respir Med. 2014. PMID: 24621676 No abstract available.

References

    1. Minino M, Xu J, Kochanek J. Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2008. National Vital Statistics Reports. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Vital Statistics. Natl Cent Vital Stat. 2010;59 - PubMed
    1. Vestbo J, Hurd SS, Agustí AG, et al. Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: GOLD Executive Summary. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2013;187:347–65. - PubMed
    1. Burrows B, Knudson RJ, Cline MG, Lebowitz MD. Quantitative relationships between cigarette smoking and ventilatory function. 1977;115:195–205. - PubMed
    1. Ingebrigtsen T, Thomsen SF, Vestbo J, et al. Genetic influences on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - a twin study. Respir Med. 2010;104:1890–5. - PubMed
    1. McCloskey SC, Patel BD, Hinchliffe SJ, Reid ED, Wareham NJ, Lomas DA. Siblings of patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have a significant risk of airflow obstruction. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2001;164:1419–24. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms