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Regulatory variants of blood pressure genes

ABSTRACT: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified blood pressure-related loci, but functional insights into causality and related molecular mechanisms lag behind. We functionally characterize 4608 genetic variants in linkage with blood pressure loci in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and cardiomyocytes (CMs) by massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs). Regulatory variants are in non-conserved loci, enriched in repeats, and alter trait-relevant transcription factor binding sites. Higher-order genome organization indicates that loci harboring regulatory variants converge in spatial hubs to control specific signaling pathways required for proper cardiovascular function. Modelling different variant allele frequencies by CRISPR prime editing led to expression changes of KCNK9, SFXN2, and PCGF6. We provide mechanistic insights into how regulatory variants converge their effects on blood pressure genes (i.e. ULK4, MAP4, CFDP1, PDE5A, 10q24.32), and cardiovascular pathways. Our findings support advances in molecular precision medicine to define functionally relevant variants and the genetic architecture of blood pressure genes.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE213558 | GEO | 2023/04/25

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Background: Imprinted genes are defined by their preferential expression from one of the two parental alleles. This unique mode of gene expression is dependent on allele-specific DNA methylation profiles established at regulatory sequences called imprinting control regions. These loci are frequently used as biosensors to study how environmental exposures affect methylation and transcription. However, a critical unanswered question is whether they are more, less or equally sensitive to environmental stressors as the rest of the genome. Objectives: Using cadmium exposure in humans as a model, we determined the relative sensitivity of imprinting control regions to perturbation of methylation compared to similar, non-imprinted loci in the genome. Methods: We assayed DNA methylation genome-wide using bisulfite sequencing of newborn cord blood and maternal blood samples selected on the basis of maternal blood cadmium levels. Differentially methylated regions associated with cadmium exposure were identified. Results: In newborn cord blood and maternal blood, 641 and 1945 cadmium-associated differentially methylated regions were identified, respectively. These were strongly enriched at maternally-methylated imprinting control regions when compared to similar loci in newborn cord blood (P = 5.64E-8) and maternal blood (P = 6.22E-14), suggesting an increased sensitivity for imprinting control regions to cadmium. Genome-wide, methylation changes were enriched in maternal blood at genes implicated in body mass index (P = 2.0E-5), blood pressure (P = 3.8E-5) and body weight (P = 1.4E-3), with similar trends for metabolic and cardiovascular functions in cord blood, suggesting that epigenetic changes may contribute to the etiology of cadmium-associated diseases. Conclusions: We present the first global nucleotide-resolution DNA methylation profile associated with cadmium exposure in humans. We identify imprinting control regions as hotspots for perturbation by cadmium, possibly due to their unique modes of regulation, motivating further study of these loci to provide insight into the mechanisms of cadmium action.

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Regulatory variants of blood pressure genes

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