A comprehensive study of genetic regulation and disease associations of plasma circulatory microRNAs using population-level data.

ABSTRACT:

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Perturbations in plasma miRNA levels are known to impact disease risk and have potential as disease biomarkers. Exploring the genetic regulation of miRNAs may yield new insights into their important role in governing gene expression and disease mechanisms.

Results

We present genome-wide association studies of 2083 plasma circulating miRNAs in 2178 participants of the Rotterdam Study to identify miRNA-expression quantitative trait loci (miR-eQTLs). We identify 3292 associations between 1289 SNPs and 63 miRNAs, of which 65% are replicated in two independent cohorts. We demonstrate that plasma miR-eQTLs co-localise with gene expression, protein, and metabolite-QTLs, whi

SUBMITTER: Mustafa R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11492503 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature