Featured Publications
Gene discovery and biological insights into anxiety disorders from a large-scale multi-ancestry genome-wide association study
Friligkou E, Løkhammer S, Cabrera-Mendoza B, Shen J, He J, Deiana G, Zanoaga M, Asgel Z, Pilcher A, Di Lascio L, Makharashvili A, Koller D, Tylee D, Pathak G, Polimanti R. Gene discovery and biological insights into anxiety disorders from a large-scale multi-ancestry genome-wide association study. Nature Genetics 2024, 56: 2036-2045. PMID: 39294497, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01908-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGenome-wide association studiesAnxiety disordersAssociation studiesMulti-ancestry genome-wide association studyPathogenesis of anxiety disordersHeritability of anxietyLocal genetic correlationProteome-wide analysisIndividuals of European descentAssociated with anxietyMulti-omics informationWidespread pleiotropyTranscriptome-widePolygenic risk scoresBipolar disorderAncestry-specificGene discoveryContinental groupsLimbic systemEast Asian groupsBiological insightsAnxietyEntorhinal cortexPhysical health domainBrain-specificSex differences in the pleiotropy of hearing difficulty with imaging-derived phenotypes: a brain-wide investigation
He J, Cabrera-Mendoza B, De Angelis F, Pathak G, Koller D, Curhan S, Curhan G, Mecca A, van Dyck C, Polimanti R. Sex differences in the pleiotropy of hearing difficulty with imaging-derived phenotypes: a brain-wide investigation. Brain 2024, 147: 3395-3408. PMID: 38454550, PMCID: PMC11449129, DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae077.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchImaging-derived phenotypesHearing difficultiesBrain imaging-derived phenotypesSex-combined analysisLatent causal variable analysesMendelian randomization approachGeneralized linear regression analysisLocal genetic correlation analysisMultivariate generalized linear regression analysisGenome-wide association studiesLatent causal variableGenetic correlation analysisGenetic correlationsLocal genetic correlationMendelian randomizationPeripheral auditory systemOlder adultsGWAS dataLinear regression analysisHealth burdenGenomic regionsAssociation studiesPleiotropic regionsSex differencesTranscriptome regulationSex-Specific Genetic and Transcriptomic Liability to Neuroticism
Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Singh K, Stein MB, Koenen KC, Krystal JH, Gelernter J, Davis LK, Polimanti R. Sex-Specific Genetic and Transcriptomic Liability to Neuroticism. Biological Psychiatry 2022, 93: 243-252. PMID: 36244801, PMCID: PMC10508260, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.07.019.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesTranscriptomic profilesAssociation studiesSingle nucleotide polymorphism heritabilityGene expression variationGenome-wide significanceSex-specific geneticChromosomal variationTranscriptomic changesRisk lociExpression variationBiological processesMolecular pathwaysLociPolygenic associationSex-specific effectsGenetic correlatesPolygenic scoresUK BiobankGenetic riskNCOA6GeneticsHeritabilityPathwayFemalesAn Atlas of Genetic Correlations and Genetically Informed Associations Linking Psychiatric and Immune-Related Phenotypes
Tylee DS, Lee YK, Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Levey DF, De Angelis F, Gelernter J, Polimanti R. An Atlas of Genetic Correlations and Genetically Informed Associations Linking Psychiatric and Immune-Related Phenotypes. JAMA Psychiatry 2022, 79: 667-676. PMID: 35507366, PMCID: PMC9069342, DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.0914.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRisk factorsImmune-related phenotypesMultivariable adjustmentUlcerative colitisCrohn's diseaseMendelian randomizationImmune-related disordersReciprocal risk factorsHealth-related behaviorsPsychiatric phenotypesFalse discovery rate correctionAllergic rhinitisGenetic association studiesGenetic associationInflammatory disordersClinical associationsMajor depressionImmune disordersMAIN OUTCOMEPsychiatric disordersSocial determinantsDisordersAssociation studiesColitisAsthmaPhenome-Wide Association Study for Alcohol and Nicotine Risk Alleles in 26394 Women
Polimanti R, Kranzler HR, Gelernter J. Phenome-Wide Association Study for Alcohol and Nicotine Risk Alleles in 26394 Women. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016, 41: 2688-2696. PMID: 27187070, PMCID: PMC5026736, DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.72.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHealth initiativesRisk allelesSocioeconomic statusPhenome-wide association studyWomen's Health InitiativeMetabolism-related mechanismsMedication useLung cancerTobacco useDietary habitsSmoking behaviorNicotine useReproductive historyReproductive healthSuggestive findingsAlcohol useAnthropometric characteristicsMental healthHealth conditionsMetabolic conditionsCausative relationshipAssociation studiesDrinking behaviorADH1BAssociation
2024
Distinguishing vulnerability and resilience to posttraumatic stress disorder evaluating traumatic experiences, genetic risk and electronic health records
Løkhammer S, Koller D, Wendt F, Choi K, He J, Friligkou E, Overstreet C, Gelernter J, Hellard S, Polimanti R. Distinguishing vulnerability and resilience to posttraumatic stress disorder evaluating traumatic experiences, genetic risk and electronic health records. Psychiatry Research 2024, 337: 115950. PMID: 38744179, PMCID: PMC11156529, DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115950.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchElectronic health recordsPosttraumatic stress disorderHealth recordsPTSD vulnerabilityUK Biobank (UKBPhenome-wide association studyRisk scorePhenotype risk scoreUs Research ProgramPolygenic risk scoresStress disorderAoU participantsUKB participantsPresence of posttraumatic stress disorderTrauma burdenGenetic riskPosttraumatic stress disorder symptomsAssociation studiesPheWASClinical comorbiditiesComorbid associationsEye conditionsAOUInverse relationshipMultiple phenotypesGenome-wide association analyses identify 95 risk loci and provide insights into the neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder
Nievergelt C, Maihofer A, Atkinson E, Chen C, Choi K, Coleman J, Daskalakis N, Duncan L, Polimanti R, Aaronson C, Amstadter A, Andersen S, Andreassen O, Arbisi P, Ashley-Koch A, Austin S, Avdibegoviç E, Babić D, Bacanu S, Baker D, Batzler A, Beckham J, Belangero S, Benjet C, Bergner C, Bierer L, Biernacka J, Bierut L, Bisson J, Boks M, Bolger E, Brandolino A, Breen G, Bressan R, Bryant R, Bustamante A, Bybjerg-Grauholm J, Bækvad-Hansen M, Børglum A, Børte S, Cahn L, Calabrese J, Caldas-de-Almeida J, Chatzinakos C, Cheema S, Clouston S, Colodro-Conde L, Coombes B, Cruz-Fuentes C, Dale A, Dalvie S, Davis L, Deckert J, Delahanty D, Dennis M, Desarnaud F, DiPietro C, Disner S, Docherty A, Domschke K, Dyb G, Kulenović A, Edenberg H, Evans A, Fabbri C, Fani N, Farrer L, Feder A, Feeny N, Flory J, Forbes D, Franz C, Galea S, Garrett M, Gelaye B, Gelernter J, Geuze E, Gillespie C, Goleva S, Gordon S, Goçi A, Grasser L, Guindalini C, Haas M, Hagenaars S, Hauser M, Heath A, Hemmings S, Hesselbrock V, Hickie I, Hogan K, Hougaard D, Huang H, Huckins L, Hveem K, Jakovljević M, Javanbakht A, Jenkins G, Johnson J, Jones I, Jovanovic T, Karstoft K, Kaufman M, Kennedy J, Kessler R, Khan A, Kimbrel N, King A, Koen N, Kotov R, Kranzler H, Krebs K, Kremen W, Kuan P, Lawford B, Lebois L, Lehto K, Levey D, Lewis C, Liberzon I, Linnstaedt S, Logue M, Lori A, Lu Y, Luft B, Lupton M, Luykx J, Makotkine I, Maples-Keller J, Marchese S, Marmar C, Martin N, Martínez-Levy G, McAloney K, McFarlane A, McLaughlin K, McLean S, Medland S, Mehta D, Meyers J, Michopoulos V, Mikita E, Milani L, Milberg W, Miller M, Morey R, Morris C, Mors O, Mortensen P, Mufford M, Nelson E, Nordentoft M, Norman S, Nugent N, O’Donnell M, Orcutt H, Pan P, Panizzon M, Pathak G, Peters E, Peterson A, Peverill M, Pietrzak R, Polusny M, Porjesz B, Powers A, Qin X, Ratanatharathorn A, Risbrough V, Roberts A, Rothbaum A, Rothbaum B, Roy-Byrne P, Ruggiero K, Rung A, Runz H, Rutten B, de Viteri S, Salum G, Sampson L, Sanchez S, Santoro M, Seah C, Seedat S, Seng J, Shabalin A, Sheerin C, Silove D, Smith A, Smoller J, Sponheim S, Stein D, Stensland S, Stevens J, Sumner J, Teicher M, Thompson W, Tiwari A, Trapido E, Uddin M, Ursano R, Valdimarsdóttir U, Van Hooff M, Vermetten E, Vinkers C, Voisey J, Wang Y, Wang Z, Waszczuk M, Weber H, Wendt F, Werge T, Williams M, Williamson D, Winsvold B, Winternitz S, Wolf C, Wolf E, Xia Y, Xiong Y, Yehuda R, Young K, Young R, Zai C, Zai G, Zervas M, Zhao H, Zoellner L, Zwart J, deRoon-Cassini T, van Rooij S, van den Heuvel L, Stein M, Ressler K, Koenen K. Genome-wide association analyses identify 95 risk loci and provide insights into the neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder. Nature Genetics 2024, 56: 792-808. PMID: 38637617, PMCID: PMC11396662, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01707-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMeta-analysis of genome-wide association studiesGenome-wide significant lociMulti-ancestry meta-analysisGenome-wide association analysisGenome-wide association studiesIndividuals of European ancestryPotential causal genesNative American ancestryMulti-omics approachPost-traumatic stress disorderAdmixed individualsSignificant lociRisk lociCausal genesAssociation studiesAssociation analysisFunctional genesTranscription factorsGenetic studiesAmerican ancestryEuropean ancestryAxon guidanceSynaptic structureLociGenes
2023
Multi-ancestry genome-wide association study of cannabis use disorder yields insight into disease biology and public health implications
Levey D, Galimberti M, Deak J, Wendt F, Bhattacharya A, Koller D, Harrington K, Quaden R, Johnson E, Gupta P, Biradar M, Lam M, Cooke M, Rajagopal V, Empke S, Zhou H, Nunez Y, Kranzler H, Edenberg H, Agrawal A, Smoller J, Lencz T, Hougaard D, Børglum A, Demontis D, Gaziano J, Gandal M, Polimanti R, Stein M, Gelernter J. Multi-ancestry genome-wide association study of cannabis use disorder yields insight into disease biology and public health implications. Nature Genetics 2023, 55: 2094-2103. PMID: 37985822, PMCID: PMC10703690, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-023-01563-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSingle nucleotide polymorphism-based heritabilityMulti-ancestry genome-wide association studyAssociation studiesMillion Veteran ProgramGenome-wide association studiesWide significant lociWide association studySignificant lociReference panelSmall populationDisease biologyAncestryAmerican ancestryHeritabilityVeteran ProgramNumerous medical comorbiditiesLung cancer riskRelationship analysisLociBiologyPublic health implicationsEast AsiansPublic health consequencesMedical comorbiditiesCigarette smokingGenome-wide association studies and cross-population meta-analyses investigating short and long sleep duration
Austin-Zimmerman I, Levey D, Giannakopoulou O, Deak J, Galimberti M, Adhikari K, Zhou H, Denaxas S, Irizar H, Kuchenbaecker K, McQuillin A, Concato J, Buysse D, Gaziano J, Gottlieb D, Polimanti R, Stein M, Bramon E, Gelernter J. Genome-wide association studies and cross-population meta-analyses investigating short and long sleep duration. Nature Communications 2023, 14: 6059. PMID: 37770476, PMCID: PMC10539313, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41249-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAssociation studiesGenome-wide association studiesGenetic correlationsWide association studyLinkage disequilibrium scorePositive genetic correlationSleep traitsIndependent lociMillion Veteran ProgramTraitsAncestryUK BiobankVeteran ProgramMendelian randomisationLociHeritabilitySNPsPhenotypeEast AsiansSimilar patternCardiometabolic phenotypesMulti‐omics cannot replace sample size in genome‐wide association studies
Baranger D, Hatoum A, Polimanti R, Gelernter J, Edenberg H, Bogdan R, Agrawal A. Multi‐omics cannot replace sample size in genome‐wide association studies. Genes Brain & Behavior 2023, 22: e12846. PMID: 36977197, PMCID: PMC10733567, DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12846.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesLarge genome-wide association studiesNovel genesMulti-omics dataMulti-omics informationAssociation studiesGenome-wide significant lociSmall genome-wide association studyBrain-related traitsGWAS sample sizesEarly genome-wide association studiesNovel gene discoveryGene discoverySignificant lociAdditional genesPositional mappingHeritable traitVariant discoverySimilar traitsGenesNovel variant discoveryTraitsDisease biologyLociDiscoveryFunctional and molecular characterization of suicidality factors using phenotypic and genome-wide data
Quintero Reis A, Newton B, Kessler R, Polimanti R, Wendt F. Functional and molecular characterization of suicidality factors using phenotypic and genome-wide data. Molecular Psychiatry 2023, 28: 1064-1071. PMID: 36604601, PMCID: PMC10005939, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01929-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesPolygenic scoringSummary association dataGenome-wide dataSNP effect sizesGenomic structural equation modelingGenetic study designsNew traitsAdmixed AmericansEffect size distributionBiological pathwaysAssociation studiesTranscriptomic featuresMolecular characterizationSusceptibility lociGenetic correlationsAssociation dataWide dataTraitsGenetic contributionEuropean ancestryCommon genetic factorsLociPhenotypeGenetic factors
2022
Phenome-wide association study of loci harboring de novo tandem repeat mutations in UK Biobank exomes
Wendt F, Pathak G, Polimanti R. Phenome-wide association study of loci harboring de novo tandem repeat mutations in UK Biobank exomes. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 7682. PMID: 36509785, PMCID: PMC9744822, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35423-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsProtein structureTandem repeatsTandem repeat mutationsPhenome-wide association studyAlters protein structureGenetic variationAssociation studiesEuropean ancestry participantsUK BiobankCarotid intima-media thicknessTR mutationsIntima-media thicknessMicroRNA-184Repeat mutationsFamily-based designsTestable hypothesesLociPopulation levelRespiratory outcomesMutationsDisease outcomeFAN1FNBP4RepeatsDenisovan and Neanderthal archaic introgression differentially impacted the genetics of complex traits in modern populations
Koller D, Wendt F, Pathak G, De Lillo A, De Angelis F, Cabrera-Mendoza B, Tucci S, Polimanti R. Denisovan and Neanderthal archaic introgression differentially impacted the genetics of complex traits in modern populations. BMC Biology 2022, 20: 249. PMID: 36344982, PMCID: PMC9641937, DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01449-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsArchaic introgressionComplex traitsDenisovan introgressionNeanderthal allelesNeanderthal introgressionSignatures of admixtureAncestry groupsModern populationsPhenome-wide association studyModern human populationsMajor histocompatibility complex regionIntrogressionEvolutionary pressureGenetic poolDisease heritabilityGenomic signaturesEAS populationsExtinct NeanderthalsAssociation studiesMetabolic traitsDenisovansUK BiobankRed hair colorEuropean descentHuman traitsNot Only Gene Discovery: Genome-wide Association Studies and Polygenic Risk Scores as Tools to Dissect the Heterogeneity of Major Depressive Disorder
Polimanti R. Not Only Gene Discovery: Genome-wide Association Studies and Polygenic Risk Scores as Tools to Dissect the Heterogeneity of Major Depressive Disorder. Biological Psychiatry 2022, 92: 177-178. PMID: 35835505, PMCID: PMC9514509, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.05.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGenome-wide association study in individuals of European and African ancestry and multi-trait analysis of opioid use disorder identifies 19 independent genome-wide significant risk loci
Deak JD, Zhou H, Galimberti M, Levey DF, Wendt FR, Sanchez-Roige S, Hatoum AS, Johnson EC, Nunez YZ, Demontis D, Børglum AD, Rajagopal VM, Jennings MV, Kember RL, Justice AC, Edenberg HJ, Agrawal A, Polimanti R, Kranzler HR, Gelernter J. Genome-wide association study in individuals of European and African ancestry and multi-trait analysis of opioid use disorder identifies 19 independent genome-wide significant risk loci. Molecular Psychiatry 2022, 27: 3970-3979. PMID: 35879402, PMCID: PMC9718667, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01709-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesGenome-wide significant risk lociAssociation studiesVariant associationsLarge-scale genome-wide association studiesGenetic correlationsSignificant risk lociPsychiatric Genomics ConsortiumMulti-trait analysisPolygenic risk score analysisSingle-variant associationsGWS lociGenetic architectureIndividuals of EuropeanGWS associationsRisk lociGene regionGenomics ConsortiumMillion Veteran ProgramSusceptibility lociAfrican ancestryLociRisk score analysisGenetic informativenessSNPs oneGenome-wide meta-analysis of insomnia prioritizes genes associated with metabolic and psychiatric pathways
Watanabe K, Jansen PR, Savage JE, Nandakumar P, Wang X, Hinds D, Gelernter J, Levey D, Polimanti R, Stein M, Van Someren E, Smit A, Posthuma D. Genome-wide meta-analysis of insomnia prioritizes genes associated with metabolic and psychiatric pathways. Nature Genetics 2022, 54: 1125-1132. PMID: 35835914, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01124-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRisk lociGenome-wide association studiesSpecific gene setsPrevious genome-wide association studyGene prioritization strategyExternal biological resourcesExtreme polygenicityExpression specificityAssociated lociSignaling functionsGene setsAssociation studiesNeuronal differentiationFunctional interactionGenesLociBiological resourcesPolygenicityNovel strategyPrioritization strategiesSpecific hypothesesDifferentiationPathwayStatistical powerLarge numberA Phenome-Wide Association Study of genes associated with COVID-19 severity reveals shared genetics with complex diseases in the Million Veteran Program
Verma A, Tsao NL, Thomann LO, Ho YL, Iyengar SK, Luoh SW, Carr R, Crawford DC, Efird JT, Huffman JE, Hung A, Ivey KL, Levin MG, Lynch J, Natarajan P, Pyarajan S, Bick AG, Costa L, Genovese G, Hauger R, Madduri R, Pathak GA, Polimanti R, Voight B, Vujkovic M, Zekavat SM, Zhao H, Ritchie MD, Initiative V, Chang KM, Cho K, Casas JP, Tsao PS, Gaziano JM, O’Donnell C, Damrauer SM, Liao KP. A Phenome-Wide Association Study of genes associated with COVID-19 severity reveals shared genetics with complex diseases in the Million Veteran Program. PLOS Genetics 2022, 18: e1010113. PMID: 35482673, PMCID: PMC9049369, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010113.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSevere COVID-19Million Veteran ProgramPhenome-wide association studyHost Genetics InitiativeGenetic architectureGenotype-phenotype dataAssociation studiesVeterans Affairs Million Veteran ProgramElectronic health record dataCOVID-19 severityHealth record dataCOVID-19Genetic variantsGenetics InitiativeABO locusPhenotypeVenous embolismCritical illnessDiseases codesMedical conditionsInternational ClassificationRecord dataStrong associationVeteran ProgramVariantsUsing phenotype risk scores to enhance gene discovery for generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder
Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Deak JD, De Angelis F, Koller D, Cabrera-Mendoza B, Lebovitch DS, Levey DF, Stein MB, Kranzler HR, Koenen KC, Gelernter J, Huckins LM, Polimanti R. Using phenotype risk scores to enhance gene discovery for generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. Molecular Psychiatry 2022, 27: 2206-2215. PMID: 35181757, PMCID: PMC9133008, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01469-y.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2021
ACE2 Netlas: In silico Functional Characterization and Drug-Gene Interactions of ACE2 Gene Network to Understand Its Potential Involvement in COVID-19 Susceptibility
Pathak GA, Wendt FR, Goswami A, Koller D, De Angelis F, Initiative C, Polimanti R. ACE2 Netlas: In silico Functional Characterization and Drug-Gene Interactions of ACE2 Gene Network to Understand Its Potential Involvement in COVID-19 Susceptibility. Frontiers In Genetics 2021, 12: 698033. PMID: 34512723, PMCID: PMC8429844, DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.698033.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGenome-wide association studiesGenetic variationFunctional characterizationCOVID-19 susceptibilityHuman genetic variationSilico functional characterizationDrug-gene interaction databaseTranscriptomic regulationGene networksGenetic variant associationsMetabolic domainsMulti-level characterizationPhenome-wide associationAssociation studiesDrug-gene interactionsVariant associationsInteraction databasesGenesKey adhesion moleculeGenetic variantsPhenotype categoriesPotential involvementMiRNAsAdhesion moleculesPotential mechanismsIntegrative genomic analyses identify susceptibility genes underlying COVID-19 hospitalization
Pathak GA, Singh K, Miller-Fleming TW, Wendt FR, Ehsan N, Hou K, Johnson R, Lu Z, Gopalan S, Yengo L, Mohammadi P, Pasaniuc B, Polimanti R, Davis LK, Mancuso N. Integrative genomic analyses identify susceptibility genes underlying COVID-19 hospitalization. Nature Communications 2021, 12: 4569. PMID: 34315903, PMCID: PMC8316582, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24824-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPutative causal genesGenome-wide association studiesUnderstanding of genesIntegrative genomic analysisTrans-ethnic studiesAssociation scanCausal genesGenomic analysisAssociation studiesDiverse ancestral backgroundsGenesSusceptibility genesBiobank JapanHost geneticsProtein levelsAncestral backgroundPathwayExpressionMRNA expressionSplicingRapid progressPhenomeGeneticsHost inflammatory responseCoagulation pathway