Analysis of the genetic basis of disease in the context of worldwide human relationships and migration

PLoS Genet. 2013 May;9(5):e1003447. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003447. Epub 2013 May 23.

Abstract

Genetic diversity across different human populations can enhance understanding of the genetic basis of disease. We calculated the genetic risk of 102 diseases in 1,043 unrelated individuals across 51 populations of the Human Genome Diversity Panel. We found that genetic risk for type 2 diabetes and pancreatic cancer decreased as humans migrated toward East Asia. In addition, biliary liver cirrhosis, alopecia areata, bladder cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, membranous nephropathy, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, and vitiligo have undergone genetic risk differentiation. This analysis represents a large-scale attempt to characterize genetic risk differentiation in the context of migration. We anticipate that our findings will enable detailed analysis pertaining to the driving forces behind genetic risk differentiation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alopecia Areata / epidemiology
  • Asia, Eastern
  • Colitis, Ulcerative / epidemiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / epidemiology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / pathology
  • Emigration and Immigration*
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genetics, Population
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Glomerulonephritis, Membranous / epidemiology
  • Human Genome Project
  • Humans
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / epidemiology
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / epidemiology
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Risk Factors
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / epidemiology
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Vitiligo / epidemiology