Extract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) has been linked with hundreds of diseases [1]. The MHC is one of the most complex regions of the human genome, because of the high gene density, extended linkage disequilibrium (LD) and sequence diversity [2]. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified polymorphisms located in the MHC that are associated with lung diseases and related traits: asthma, cystic fibrosis, idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, lung cancer and lung function. However, due to the limitations of GWAS and tissue-specific characteristics of gene expression [3], the causal genes and genetic mechanisms mediating the heritable risk within this locus remain to be found.
Abstract
New susceptibility genes for asthma, idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, lung cancer and lung function in the MHC http://ow.ly/10onzl
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Christine Racine and Sabrina Biardel at the Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec (Québec, QC, Canada) site of the Respiratory Health Network Biobank of the FRQS for their valuable assistance. At the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC, Canada) the authors thank the biobank coordinator Mark Elliott. At the University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (Groningen, the Netherlands) Marnix Jonker is thanked for his support in selecting, handling and sending of lung tissues.
Footnotes
Support statement: The lung eQTL study at Laval University was supported by the Chaire de pneumologie de la Fondation JD Bégin de l'Université Laval, the Fondation de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, the Respiratory Health Network of the Fonds de recherche Québec – Santé (FRQS), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP – 123369), and the Cancer Research Society and Read for the Cure. M. Lamontagne is the recipient of a doctoral studentship from the FRQS. D.D. Sin is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair for COPD. Y. Bossé was the recipient of a Junior 2 Research Scholar from the FRQS and now holds a Canada Research Chair in Genomics of Heart and Lung Diseases. Funding information for this article has been deposited with FundRef.
Conflict of interest: Disclosures can be found alongside this article at erj.ersjournals.com
- Received November 9, 2015.
- Accepted March 29, 2016.
- Copyright ©ERS 2016