Cell Specific eQTL Analysis without Sorting Cells

  • HJ Westra
  • , D Arends
  • , T Esko
  • , Marjolein Peters
  • , C Schurmann
  • , K Schramm
  • , J Kettunen
  • , H Yaghootkar
  • , BP Fairfax
  • , AK Andiappan
  • , Y Li
  • , JY Fu
  • , J Karjalainen
  • , M Platteel
  • , M Visschedijk
  • , RK Weersma
  • , S Kasela
  • , L Milani
  • , L Tserel
  • , P Peterson
  • E Reinmaa, Bert Hofman, André Uitterlinden, Fernando Rivadeneira, G Homuth, A Petersmann, R Lorbeer, H Prokisch, T Meitinger, Cindy Herder, M Roden, H Grallert, S Ripatti, M Perola, AR Wood, D Melzer, L Ferrucci, AB Singleton, DG Hernandez, JC Knight, R Melchiotti, B Lee, M Poidinger, F Zolezzi, A Larbi, DY Wang, LH van den Berg, JH Veldink, O Rotzschke, S Makino, V Salomaa, K Strauch, U Volker, Joyce van Meurs, A Metspalu, C Wijmenga, RC Jansen, L Franke

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Abstract

The functional consequences of trait associated SNPs are often investigated using expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping. While trait-associated variants may operate in a cell-type specific manner, eQTL datasets for such cell-types may not always be available. We performed a genome-environment interaction (GxE) meta-analysis on data from 5,683 samples to infer the cell type specificity of whole blood cis-eQTLs. We demonstrate that this method is able to predict neutrophil and lymphocyte specific cis-eQTLs and replicate these predictions in independent cell-type specific datasets. Finally, we show that SNPs associated with Crohn's disease preferentially affect gene expression within neutrophils, including the archetypal NOD2 locus.
Original languageUndefined/Unknown
JournalPLoS Genetics (print)
Volume11
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Research programs

  • EMC MM-01-39-09-A
  • EMC NIHES-01-64-02

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