Co-expression-wide association studies link genetically regulated interactions with complex traits
2024
Linking Gene Interactions to Complex Traits
Sample size: 2
publication
Author Information
Author(s): Malakhov Mykhaylo M., Pan Wei
Primary Institution: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Hypothesis
Can co-expression of genes or proteins be associated with complex traits?
Conclusion
The study found that co-expression between proteins can influence complex traits, even if the individual proteins do not.
Supporting Evidence
- COWAS identifies interacting protein pairs associated with cholesterol levels, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.
- The method accounts for direct effects from each exposure while testing for associations.
Takeaway
The researchers looked at how genes work together and found that sometimes they can affect health traits even if they don't seem to do so alone.
Methodology
The study used a new method called COWAS to analyze gene co-expression and its association with complex traits.
Participant Demographics
Plasma proteomic concentrations from the UK Biobank.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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