Pharmacogenomic implications of the evolutionary history of infectious diseases in Africa.

ABSTRACT: As the common birthplace of all human populations, modern humans have lived longer on the African continent than in any other geographical region of the world. This long history, along with the evolutionary need to adapt to environmental challenges such as exposure to infectious agents, has led to greater genetic variation in Africans. The vast genetic variation in Africans also extends to genes involved in the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of pharmaceuticals. Ongoing cataloging of these clinically relevant variants reveals huge allele-frequency differences within and between African populations. Here, we examine Africa's large burden of infectious disease, discuss key examples of known genetic variation modulating disease risk, and provide examples of clinically relev

SUBMITTER: Baker JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5380847 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature