荷兰伊拉斯谟医学中心M. Arfan Ikram和美国得克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥健康中心Claudia L. Satizabal等研究人员，描绘了38851名个体皮层下大脑结构的遗传结构。2019年10月21日，国际知名学术期刊《自然—遗传学》在线发表了这一成果。
研究人员使用CHARGE、ENIGMA和UK Biobank数据库的近40000名个体进行了全基因组关联分析，确定了与伏隔核、杏仁核、脑干、尾状核、苍白球、壳核和丘脑体积相关的常见遗传变异。
研究人员发现皮层下体积的可变性是可遗传的，并确定48个显著相关的基因座（40个在分析时是新的）。利用基因表达、甲基化和神经病理学数据对这些基因座进行注释，研究人员确定了199个基因可能与神经发育、突触信号传导、轴突运输、细胞凋亡、炎症/感染以及对神经系统疾病的易感性有关。这组基因对于与神经发育表型有关的果蝇直系同源物显著富集，表明进化上保守的机制。
这些发现揭示了大脑发育和疾病的新型生物学机制和潜在药物靶标。
据悉，皮层下大脑结构是运动、意识、情绪和学习所不可或缺的。
附：英文原文
Title: Genetic architecture of subcortical brain structures in 38,851 individuals
Author: Claudia L. Satizabal, Hieab H. H. Adams, M. Arfan Ikram,et al
Issue&Volume: 2019-10-21
Abstract:
Subcortical brain structures are integral to motion, consciousness, emotions and learning. We identified common genetic variation related to the volumes of the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, brainstem, caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen and thalamus, using genome-wide association analyses in almost 40,000 individuals from CHARGE, ENIGMA and UK Biobank. We show that variability in subcortical volumes is heritable, and identify 48 significantly associated loci (40 novel at the time of analysis). Annotation of these loci by utilizing gene expression, methylation and neuropathological data identified 199 genes putatively implicated in neurodevelopment, synaptic signaling, axonal transport, apoptosis, inflammation/infection and susceptibility to neurological disorders. This set of genes is significantly enriched for Drosophila orthologs associated with neurodevelopmental phenotypes, suggesting evolutionarily conserved mechanisms. Our findings uncover novel biology and potential drug targets underlying brain development and disease.
DOI: 10.1038/s41588-019-0511-y
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-019-0511-y
Nature Genetics：《自然—遗传学》，创刊于1992年。隶属于施普林格·自然出版集团，最新IF：41.307
官方网址：https://www.nature.com/ng/
投稿链接：https://mts-ng.nature.com/cgi-bin/main.plex
本期文章：《自然—遗传学》：Online/在线发表
