Featured Publications
Bi-ancestral depression GWAS in the Million Veteran Program and meta-analysis in >1.2 million individuals highlight new therapeutic directions
Levey DF, Stein MB, Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Zhou H, Aslan M, Quaden R, Harrington KM, Nuñez YZ, Overstreet C, Radhakrishnan K, Sanacora G, McIntosh AM, Shi J, Shringarpure SS, Concato J, Polimanti R, Gelernter J. Bi-ancestral depression GWAS in the Million Veteran Program and meta-analysis in >1.2 million individuals highlight new therapeutic directions. Nature Neuroscience 2021, 24: 954-963. PMID: 34045744, PMCID: PMC8404304, DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00860-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTranscriptome-wide association studyMillion Veteran ProgramTranscriptome-wide association study (TWAS) analysisGenomic risk lociComplex psychiatric traitsGenetic architectureRisk lociGene expressionAssociation studiesLikely pathogenicityPsychiatric traitsVeteran ProgramNew therapeutic directionEuropean ancestryNew insightsAncestryUK BiobankAfrican ancestrySubstantial replicationExpressionLarge independent cohortsGWASTherapeutic directionsGenesLociGenome-wide association study of smoking trajectory and meta-analysis of smoking status in 842,000 individuals
Xu K, Li B, McGinnis KA, Vickers-Smith R, Dao C, Sun N, Kember RL, Zhou H, Becker WC, Gelernter J, Kranzler HR, Zhao H, Justice AC. Genome-wide association study of smoking trajectory and meta-analysis of smoking status in 842,000 individuals. Nature Communications 2020, 11: 5302. PMID: 33082346, PMCID: PMC7598939, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18489-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesLarge genome-wide association studiesMillion Veteran ProgramAssociation studiesExpression quantitative trait lociQuantitative trait lociChromatin interactionsComplex traitsFunctional annotationTrait lociSequencing ConsortiumDozen genesSignificant lociSmoking phenotypesLociMultiple populationsNew insightsPhenotypeVeteran ProgramGenetic vulnerabilityGenesTraitsAnnotationEuropean AmericansConsortiumGenome-wide association study identifies glutamate ionotropic receptor GRIA4 as a risk gene for comorbid nicotine dependence and major depression
Zhou H, Cheng Z, Bass N, Krystal JH, Farrer LA, Kranzler HR, Gelernter J. Genome-wide association study identifies glutamate ionotropic receptor GRIA4 as a risk gene for comorbid nicotine dependence and major depression. Translational Psychiatry 2018, 8: 208. PMID: 30287806, PMCID: PMC6172277, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0258-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesGenome-wide association study identifiesRisk genesTop risk genesCalcium ion bindingGenomes reference panelFast excitatory synaptic transmissionGenetic risk variantsGenetic basisEnrichment analysisAssociation studiesExome arrayCell adhesionRisk variantsGenesReference panelGenetic riskAMPA-sensitive glutamate receptorsIntronic variantsIon bindingBiological mechanismsConditional analysisGRIA4Excitatory synaptic transmissionSynaptic transmission
2021
Investigation of convergent and divergent genetic influences underlying schizophrenia and alcohol use disorder
Johnson EC, Kapoor M, Hatoum AS, Zhou H, Polimanti R, Wendt FR, Walters RK, Lai D, Kember RL, Hartz S, Meyers JL, Peterson RE, Ripke S, Bigdeli TB, Fanous AH, Pato CN, Pato MT, Goate AM, Kranzler HR, O'Donovan MC, Walters JTR, Gelernter J, Edenberg HJ, Agrawal A. Investigation of convergent and divergent genetic influences underlying schizophrenia and alcohol use disorder. Psychological Medicine 2021, 53: 1196-1204. PMID: 34231451, PMCID: PMC8738774, DOI: 10.1017/s003329172100266x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesGenome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphismsLarge-scale genome-wide association studiesSignificant single nucleotide polymorphismsIndependent genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphismsSignificant genetic correlationsGenomic regionsSingle nucleotide polymorphismsGene expressionGenetic covariancePleiotropic associationsAssociation studiesGenetic correlationsGenetic variantsNucleotide polymorphismsGenetic overlapDisorder-specific effectsAlcohol use disorderGenetic influencesGenesUse disorders
2019
Genome‐wide scan identifies opioid overdose risk locus close to MCOLN1
Cheng Z, Yang B, Zhou H, Nunez Y, Kranzler HR, Gelernter J. Genome‐wide scan identifies opioid overdose risk locus close to MCOLN1. Addiction Biology 2019, 25: e12811. PMID: 31362332, PMCID: PMC7485539, DOI: 10.1111/adb.12811.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesMucolipin-1Expression profilesGenome-wide significant signalsAssociation studiesPost-GWAS analysisWide association studyDrug repositioning analysisCation channel activityFunctional categoriesConnectivity Map databaseDrug targetsRisk genesGenesChannel activityPatatin-like phospholipaseNetwork analysisPNPLA6Significant signalEuropean Americans
2018
GWAS and network analysis of co‐occurring nicotine and alcohol dependence identifies significantly associated alleles and network
Xiang B, Yang B, Zhou H, Kranzler H, Gelernter J. GWAS and network analysis of co‐occurring nicotine and alcohol dependence identifies significantly associated alleles and network. American Journal Of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics 2018, 180: 3-11. PMID: 30488612, PMCID: PMC6918694, DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32692.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAlcoholismAllelesBlack or African AmericanComorbidityEthanolFemaleG(M2) Activator ProteinGene FrequencyGene Regulatory NetworksGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMaleMiddle AgedNicotinePolymorphism, Single NucleotideProtein Interaction MapsRisk FactorsTobacco Use DisorderWhite PeopleConceptsGene subnetworksProtein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysisGenome-wide significant variantsInteraction network analysisGene-set analysisFunctional enrichment analysisSignificant SNPsQuantitative lociNerve growth factor pathwayGene enrichmentEnrichment analysisNetwork analysisGenetic traitsGrowth factor pathwaysRisk genesSignificant variantsGenesStudy of AddictionSNPsFactor pathwayGM2AAmphetamine addictionGenetic riskGWASSubnetworksGenomewide Association Study of Alcohol Dependence and Related Traits in a Thai Population
Gelernter J, Zhou H, Nuñez YZ, Mutirangura A, Malison RT, Kalayasiri R. Genomewide Association Study of Alcohol Dependence and Related Traits in a Thai Population. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2018, 42: 861-868. PMID: 29460428, PMCID: PMC5916336, DOI: 10.1111/acer.13614.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenomewide association studiesAssociation studiesRisk genesAldehyde dehydrogenase 2Prior biological informationAfrican ancestry populationsRelated traitsSame geneBiological informationAlcohol dehydrogenasesSignificant pleiotropyDehydrogenase BGenesFunctional variantsPsychiatric traitsGenomewide significant associationPleiotropy analysisTraitsAncestry populationsFirst genomewide association studyPleiotropyDehydrogenase 2Null variantsGenome-wide Association Study Identifies a Regulatory Variant of RGMA Associated With Opioid Dependence in European Americans
Cheng Z, Zhou H, Sherva R, Farrer LA, Kranzler HR, Gelernter J. Genome-wide Association Study Identifies a Regulatory Variant of RGMA Associated With Opioid Dependence in European Americans. Biological Psychiatry 2018, 84: 762-770. PMID: 29478698, PMCID: PMC6041180, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.12.016.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesAssociation studiesHomologous mouse geneMouse geneAxon guidance proteinRegulatory variantsCoexpression analysisOpioid dependenceTranscript variantsGenetic studiesChromosome 15Guidance proteinsRNA expressionNominal significanceMessenger RNA expressionGenesRepulsive guidance molecule AHigh expressionRGMaRisk allelesChronic morphine injectionDSM-IV diagnosisExpressionNew leadsMorphine injection