New gene functions in megakaryopoiesis and platelet formation.
Nature 2010 ; 480: 201-8.
Gieger C, Radhakrishnan A, Cvejic A, Tang W, Porcu E, Pistis G, Serbanovic-Canic J, Elling U, Goodall AH, Labrune Y, Lopez LM, Mägi R, Meacham S, Okada Y, Pirastu N, Sorice R, Teumer A, Voss K, Zhang W, Ramirez-Solis R, Bis JC, Ellinghaus D, Gögele M, Hottenga JJ, Langenberg C, Kovacs P, O'Reilly PF, Shin SY, Esko T, Hartiala J, Kanoni S, Murgia F, Parsa A, Stephens J, van der Harst P, Ellen van der Schoot C, Allayee H, Attwood A, Balkau B, Bastardot F, Basu S, Baumeister SE, Biino G, Bomba L, Bonnefond A, Cambien F, Chambers JC, Cucca F, d'Adamo P, Davies G, de Boer RA, de Geus EJ, Döring A, Elliott P, Erdmann J, Evans DM, Falchi M, Feng W, Folsom AR, Frazer IH, Gibson QD, Glazer NL, Hammond C, Hartikainen AL, Heckbert SR, Hengstenberg C, Hersch M, Illig T, Loos RJ, Jolley J, Khaw KT, Kühnel B, Kyrtsonis MC, Lagou V, Lloyd-Jones H, Lumley T, Mangino M, Maschio A, Mateo Leach I, McKnight B, Memari Y, Mitchell BD, Montgomery GW, Nakamura Y, Nauck M, Navis G, Nöthlings U, Nolte IM, Porteous DJ, Pouta A, Pramstaller PP, Pullat J, Ring SM, Rotter JI, Ruggiero D, Ruokonen A, Sala C, Samani NJ, Sambrook J, Schlessinger D, Schreiber S, Schunkert H, Scott J, Smith NL, Snieder H, Starr JM, Stumvoll M, Takahashi A, Tang WH, Taylor K, Tenesa A, Lay Thein S, Tönjes A, Uda M, Ulivi S, van Veldhuisen DJ, Visscher PM, Völker U, Wichmann HE, Wiggins KL, Willemsen G, Yang TP, Hua Zhao J, Zitting P, Bradley JR, Dedoussis GV, Gasparini P, Hazen SL, Metspalu A, Pirastu M, Shuldiner AR, Joost van Pelt L, Zwaginga JJ, Boomsma DI, Deary IJ, Franke A, Froguel P, Ganesh SK, Järvelin MR, Martin NG, Meisinger C, Psaty BM, Spector TD, Wareham NJ, Akkerman JW, Ciullo M, Deloukas P, Greinacher A, Jupe S, Kamatani N, Khadake J, Kooner JS, Penninger J, Prokopenko I, Stemple D, Toniolo D, Wernisch L, Sanna S, Hicks AA, Rendon A, Ferreira MA, Ouwehand WH, Soranzo N
DOI : 10.1038/nature10659
PubMed ID : 22139419
PMCID : PMC3335296
Abstract
Platelets are the second most abundant cell type in blood and are essential for maintaining haemostasis. Their count and volume are tightly controlled within narrow physiological ranges, but there is only limited understanding of the molecular processes controlling both traits. Here we carried out a high-powered meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in up to 66,867 individuals of European ancestry, followed by extensive biological and functional assessment. We identified 68 genomic loci reliably associated with platelet count and volume mapping to established and putative novel regulators of megakaryopoiesis and platelet formation. These genes show megakaryocyte-specific gene expression patterns and extensive network connectivity. Using gene silencing in Danio rerio and Drosophila melanogaster, we identified 11 of the genes as novel regulators of blood cell formation. Taken together, our findings advance understanding of novel gene functions controlling fate-determining events during megakaryopoiesis and platelet formation, providing a new example of successful translation of GWAS to function.