Publication
Title
Genome-wide meta-analysis in alopecia areata resolves HLA associations and reveals two new susceptibility loci
Author
Abstract
Alopecia areata (AA) is a prevalent autoimmune disease with 10 known susceptibility loci. Here we perform the first meta-analysis of research on AA by combining data from two genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and replication with supplemented ImmunoChip data for a total of 3,253 cases and 7,543 controls. The strongest region of association is the major histocompatibility complex, where we fine-map four independent effects, all implicating human leukocyte antigen-DR as a key aetiologic driver. Outside the major histocompatibility complex, we identify two novel loci that exceed the threshold of statistical significance, containing ​ACOXL/​BCL2L11(​BIM) (2q13); ​GARP (​LRRC32) (11q13.5), as well as a third nominally significant region ​SH2B3(​LNK)/​ATXN2 (12q24.12). Candidate susceptibility gene expression analysis in these regions demonstrates expression in relevant immune cells and the hair follicle. We integrate our results with data from seven other autoimmune diseases and provide insight into the alignment of AA within these disorders. Our findings uncover new molecular pathways disrupted in AA, including autophagy/apoptosis, transforming growth factor beta/Tregs and JAK kinase signalling, and support the causal role of aberrant immune processes in AA.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Nature communications
Publication
2015
ISSN
2041-1723
DOI
10.1038/NCOMMS6966
Volume/pages
6 (2015) , 8 p.
Article Reference
5966
ISI
000348811100010
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 03.02.2015
Last edited 09.10.2023
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