Genome-wide association studies in a large Korean cohort identify novel quantitative trait loci for 36 traits and illuminate their genetic architectures.

ABSTRACT: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been predominantly conducted in populations of European ancestry, limiting opportunities for biological discovery in diverse populations. We report GWAS findings from 153,950 individuals across 36 quantitative traits in the Korean Cancer Prevention Study-II (KCPS2) Biobank. We discovered 301 novel genetic loci in KCPS2, including an association between thyroid-stimulating hormone and CD36. Meta-analysis with the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study, Biobank Japan, Taiwan Biobank, and UK Biobank identified 4,588 loci that were not significant in any contributing GWAS. We describe differences in genetic architectures across these East Asian and European samples. We also highlight East Asian specific associations, including a known pleiotropi

SUBMITTER: Jee YH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11118625 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature