Genome-wide linkage scan for loci influencing plasma triglycerides.
BACKGROUND
Plasma triglyceride concentration is known to be a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Previous studies have found that the level of triglycerides is strongly influenced by genetic factors.


METHODS
To identify quantitative trait loci influencing triglycerides, we conducted a genome-wide linkage scan on data from 485 Australian adult dizygotic twin pairs. Prior to linkage analysis, triglyceride values were adjusted for the effects of covariates including age, sex, time since last meal, time of blood collection (CT) and time to plasma separation.


RESULTS
The heritability estimate for ln(triglyceride) adjusted for all above fixed effects was 0.49. The highest multipoint LOD score observed was 2.94 (genome-wide p=0.049) on chromosome 7 (at 65 cM). This 7p region contains several candidate genes. Two other regions with suggestive multipoint LOD scores were also identified on chromosome 4 (LOD score=2.26 at 62 cM) and chromosome X (LOD score=2.01 at 81 cM).


CONCLUSIONS
The linkage peaks found represent newly identified regions for more detailed study, in particular the significant linkage observed on chromosome 7p13.
Middelberg
Rita P
RP
Genetic Epidemiology Unit, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. ritaM@qimr.edu.au
Martin
Nicholas G
NG
Montgomery
Grant W
GW
Whitfield
John B
JB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D002897:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7 / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D008126:Lod Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci / Q000235:genetics*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic
D014280:Triglycerides