Genetic and Environmental Influences on Liver Function Test Proteins
Author Information
Author(s): Rahmioglu Nilufer, Andrew Toby, Cherkas Lynn, Surdulescu Gabriela, Swaminathan Ramasamyiyer, Spector Tim, Ahmadi Kourosh R.
Primary Institution: Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London
Hypothesis
What are the genetic and environmental factors contributing to variation in liver function test proteins?
Conclusion
Variation in liver function test proteins is significantly influenced by genetic and common environmental factors, along with contributions from age, sex, BMI, and alcohol use.
Supporting Evidence
- The study found that variation in liver function test proteins has a significant heritable basis.
- Common environmental factors also significantly affect liver function test proteins.
- Age, sex, BMI, and alcohol consumption contribute to the variation in liver function test results.
Takeaway
This study looked at twins to see how much of the differences in liver tests are due to genes and how much are due to things like age and drinking alcohol.
Methodology
Blood samples were collected from 5380 twin pairs, and the expression levels of liver function test proteins were measured and analyzed using a variance components model fitting approach.
Potential Biases
Potential measurement errors and biases due to self-reported alcohol consumption data.
Limitations
The study was conducted in a predominantly female cohort, and some liver function tests were not measured in male twins.
Participant Demographics
The cohort included 5380 twins with a mean age of 47 years, predominantly female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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