title: A population-based study in Ghana to investigate inter-individual variation in plasma t-PA and PAI-1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Susceptibility to arterial thrombosis has a significant genetic component that is partly due to the expression of two proteins, tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), that directly influence thrombus formation and degradation. We have initiated a large-scale population-based study to characterize the genetic architecture of plasma t-PA and PAI-1 in Blacks from Sunyani, Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design of the study is based on the recruitment of 2000 unrelated subjects who are ascertained without regard to chronic disease status. The analyses of the results will be done by dividing the data into two parts, a modeling set and a validation data set. This study design will facilitate the identification of genetic, environmental, and demographic factors that contribute to inter-individual variation in plasma levels of t-PA and PAI-1 in the population at-large.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We report the specifics of the study design, as well as phenotype information on the first 1000 subjects. Our results show that females and males differ significantly in several key measures, including PAI-1, BMI, total cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data collected from this population-based study demonstrate significant sex differences in PAI-1 and critical factors that may influence risk of thrombosis. These samples will serve to inform the genetic analyses of t-PA and PAI- levels.
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Genetics Research, 519 Light Hall, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, TN 37232-0700, USA. smwilliams@chgr.mc.vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Scott M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Shelli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stocki
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Kwabena
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brew
authors.forename: Seth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Douglas E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: Nancy J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Kwabena A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Poku
authors.forename: Jason H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D012737:Sex Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator