Occupational Exposures and Lung Cancer Risk – An Analysis of the CARTaGENE Study
This study aimed to understand the relationship between common occupational agents (e.g., ashes, cooking fumes) and lung cancer risk. Researchers found that increased lung cancer risk was linked to many of these agents, but lower lung cancer risk was found among those exposed to carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from petroleum.
Association of essential tremor with novel risk loci: A genome-wide association study and meta-analysis
This study revealed five genome-wide significant loci associated with essential tremor (ET), one of the most common movement disorders. The researchers’ findings suggest that common genetic variation partly explains ET’s heritability.
Does the adenosine deaminase (ADA) gene confer risk of sleepwalking?
This study aimed to understand if ADA gene variants are related to sleepwalking. Using data from 157 CARTaGENE participants, as well as participants from other cohorts and databases, researchers found no association between the ADA gene and sleepwalking.
A functionally impaired missense variant identified in French Canadian families implicates FANCI as a candidate ovarian cancer-predisposing gene
Researchers sought to describe how new genes might be associated with ovarian cancer risk amongst 5,249 CARTaGENE participants. They found that a FANCI gene mutation is more common in familial ovarian cancer patients.
Estimated prevalence of Niemann–Pick type C disease in Quebec
Researchers sought to estimate the prevalence of Niemann-Pick type C disease – an autosomal recessive disease that often results in psychiatric problems in adults – in Québec and determine whether it is underdiagnosed in this province. With CARTaGENE RNA-sequencing data from 911 participants and exome sequencing from 198 participants, researchers estimated the prevalence as 0.61 in 100,000 births.
A large Canadian cohort provides insights into the genetic architecture of human hair colour
Researchers performed genome-wide association studies and meta-analyses to garner insight on regulatory mechanisms of hair colour variation and pigmentation biology. 12,996 genotyped CanPath participants were included in this study, along with their self-reported natural hair colour. The researchers fine-mapped significant loci throughout the genome, identifying multiple novel causal variants for hair colour.
Effect of Cognitive Reserve on the Association of Vascular Brain Injury with Cognition: Analysis of the PURE and CAHHM Studies
This study sought to determine whether cognitive reserve lessens the correlation between brain injury and cognition. The researchers analyzed data from two population-based studies, including the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Healthy Minds (CAHHM), comprising CanPath national and regional data. They found that brain injury and cognitive reserve are related to cognition, but higher cognitive reserve does not mitigate the harmful effects of brain injury.
Large-scale cis- and trans-eQTL analyses identify thousands of genetic loci and polygenic scores that regulate blood gene expression
To investigate the genetics of gene expression, the team performed cis- and trans-expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analyses using blood-derived expression from 31,684 individuals through the eQTLGen Consortium.
Psychosocial factors and cancer incidence (PSY-CA): Protocol for individual participant data meta-analyses
This study aims (1) to test whether psychosocial factors are associated with the incidence of any cancer; (2) to test the interaction between psychosocial factors and factors related to cancer risk with regard to the incidence of cancer; and (3) to test the mediating role of health behaviors in the relationship between psychosocial factors and the incidence of cancer.
Polygenic risk scores predict diabetes complications and their response to intensive blood pressure and glucose control
This study assessed whether cardiovascular and renal risk factors combined with the age of onset and duration of diabetes are sufficient predictors of type 2 diabetes. Of the 21,702 participants, 488 participants with type 2 diabetes originated from CanPath. The researchers developed a prediction model to help identify high-risk individuals who could benefit from therapies and treatments.