Genetic influences on human blood metabolites in the Japanese population

Abstract

Summary: An increase in ethnic diversity in genetic studies has the potential to provide unprecedented insights into how genetic variations influence human phenotypes. In this study, we conducted a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of 121 metabolites measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with plasma samples from 4,888 Japanese individuals. We found 60 metabolite-gene associations, of which 13 have not been previously reported. Meta-analyses with another Japanese and a European study identified six and two additional unreported loci, respectively. Genetic variants influencing metabolite levels were more enriched in protein-coding regions than in the regulatory regions while being associated with the risk of various diseases. Finally, we identified a signature of strong negative selection for uric acid (Sˆ = −1.53, p = 6.2 × 10−18). Our study expanded the knowledge of genetic influences on human blood metabolites, providing valuable insights into their physiological, pathological, and selective properties.

Keywords

• Human Genetics
• Human metabolism
• Human Physiology