(Press-News.org) MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – (April 6, 2012) – Using its unique online research platform, 23andMe, a leading personal genetics company, has found five significant genetic associations for hypothyroidism in the largest known genome-wide association study of hypothyroidism conducted to date. The details of the study are now available online in the journal PLoS ONE.
"With nearly 90 percent of our 125,000 customers participating in our online research, 23andMe is making crowd-sourced science a reality," stated 23andMe CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki. "Our online research platform continues to advance research faster and more cost effectively than traditional research models," added Wojcicki.
Of the five significant associations reported in this study, three are known to be involved in other autoimmune diseases. These include rs6679677 near PTPN22, rs3184504 in SH2B3, and rs2517532 in the HLA class I region. The other two associations reported here are rs4915077 near VAV3 and rs925489 near FOXE1, a gene involved in thyroid development. In addition, 23andMe observed associations with two loci marginally associated with hypothyroidism that have been linked to Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels, PDE8B and CAPZB as well as another gene previously associated with hypothyroidism and autoimmune disease (CTLA4).
"These genetic associations contribute significantly to understanding the underlying biology of hypothyroidism, which impacts five percent of the general population," remarked 23andMe Medical Director and study co-author Dr. Uta Francke. "Identification of associations with other autoimmune disorders opens up potential pathways of treatment."
Upon identification of those novel genetic associations for hypothyroidism also associated with autoimmune diseases, the 23andMe research team looked for any additional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) shared with other autoimmune diseases, investigating a list of 107 SNPs that were studied across seven autoimmune diseases. Among this list, only the CTLA4, PTPN22, and SH2B3 loci show significant association with hypothyroidism.
According to 23andMe Principle Scientist and Lead Author Nicholas Eriksson, Ph.D.,
"These findings shed new light on the biology of hypothyroidism, showing that genes involved with both thyroid function and immune response impact this disease. This demonstrates our ability to harness the power of the enormous 23andMe genetic database to further medical research.
This study investigated 3,736 individuals with hypothyroidism as well as 35,546 controls, all drawn from the more than 100,000 23andMe customers who have consented to participate in research efforts. Cases included individuals who have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, have elevated TSH levels, or are taking thyroid hormone replacement medication.
These results continue to validate 23andMe's methodology in combining self-reported data on phenotypes gathered via web-based questionnaires and genotypic data derived from self-collected saliva samples. 23andMe had previously published its first proof-of-concept results in the journal PLoS Genetics in June 2010 which reported novel associations for unusual traits such as asparagus anosmia and photic sneeze reflex and replicated associations for other common genetic traits, and recently published the discovery of two novel genetic associations for Parkinson's disease in PLoS Genetics, and presented a major replication study of over 180 genetic associations in the journal PLoS ONE in August 2011.
INFORMATION:
These results are published in the open access PLoS ONE journal allowing anyone —including 23andMe customers who contributed to the research—to freely access the study. 23andMe customers will also see the results incorporated into the reports available in their online accounts over time.
About 23andMe
23andMe, Inc. is a leading personal genetics company dedicated to helping individuals understand their own genetic information through DNA analysis technologies and web-based interactive tools. The company's Personal Genome Service® enables individuals to gain deeper insights into their ancestry and inherited traits. The vision for 23andMe is to personalize healthcare by making and supporting meaningful discoveries through genetic research. 23andMe, Inc., was founded in 2006, and the company is advised by a group of renowned experts in the fields of human genetics, bioinformatics and computer science. More information is available at www.23andme.com.
Media Contacts:
Rubenstein Communications
1345 Ave of the Americas
New York, NY 10105
Contacts:
Jane Rubinstein, 212-843-8287, jrubinstein@rubenstein.com
Alison Hendrie, 212-843-8029, ahendrie@rubenstein.com
23andMe identifies 5 significant genetic associations for hypothyroidism
Web-based research platform used to conduct largest genome-wide association study to date on hypothyroidism conducted includes genetic associations common to autoimmune diseases
2012-04-10
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Researcher finds faster, cheaper way to cool electronic devices
2012-04-10
A North Carolina State University researcher has developed a more efficient, less expensive way of cooling electronic devices – particularly devices that generate a lot of heat, such as lasers and power devices.
The technique uses a "heat spreader" made of a copper-graphene composite, which is attached to the electronic device using an indium-graphene interface film "Both the copper-graphene and indium-graphene have higher thermal conductivity, allowing the device to cool efficiently," says Dr. Jag Kasichainula, an associate professor of materials science and engineering ...
New poll shows New York voters support global health research but unsure where it is conducted
2012-04-10
WASHINGTON—April 9, 2012— New York voters recognize the importance of global health research and are concerned about the United States' ability to compete globally, according to a new poll commissioned by Research!America, yet an overwhelming majority (93%) of those polled don't know where global health research is conducted in their own state.
The majority of New Yorkers (64%) think that New York residents should be concerned about global health and an additional 63% believe that spending money on global health is important to their state's economy. However, poll results ...
'Nanobubbles' plus chemotherapy equals single-cell cancer targeting
2012-04-10
HOUSTON -- (April 9, 2012) -- Using light-harvesting nanoparticles to convert laser energy into "plasmonic nanobubbles," researchers at Rice University, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) are developing new methods to inject drugs and genetic payloads directly into cancer cells. In tests on drug-resistant cancer cells, the researchers found that delivering chemotherapy drugs with nanobubbles was up to 30 times more deadly to cancer cells than traditional drug treatment and required less than one-tenth the clinical dose.
"We ...
Researchers identify genes that may help in ovarian cancer diagnosis and prognosis
2012-04-10
Philadelphia, PA, April 9, 2012 – Scientists from Duke University Medical Center have determined that genes acting as molecular "on/off" switches can define clinically relevant molecular subtypes of ovarian cancer, providing ideal potential targets for use in clinical prognostic and diagnostic testing. These bimodal genes can define tumor subtypes that have different overall prognoses and respond to different therapeutic regimens. The researchers' results are published in the May issue of The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.
"We identified a very small set of genes ...
A better tool to diagnose tuberculosis
2012-04-10
Up to 30% of the world's population is infected with Tuberculosis (TB), but in many areas of the world, TB diagnosis still relies on insensitive, poorly standardized, and time-consuming methods. A new diagnostic tool, endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), may change that. Dr. Thomas Bodmer shows how it's done in the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE).
Currently, TB is diagnosed through either a skin test, which produces a small bump on the patient's arm when administered and needs to be checked after 72 hours, and through smear microscopy, a method that ...
WirelessTimeClock.com Launches Redesigned Site
2012-04-10
WirelessTimeClock.com, a trusted source for web-based time clocks, has re-launched its website (http://www.wirelesstimeclock.com) with a more intuitive and streamlined design, promising a more enriching experience for businesses searching for reliable employee time clocks and time and attendance management solutions.
"Our customers have been asking for a more intuitive, resourceful site," says Scott Tobin, owner of WirelessTimeClock.com. "We wanted to make sure they could find exactly the clocks and monthly plans that would fit their business needs."
With ...
High-resolution atomic imaging of specimens in liquid by TEM using graphene liquid cell
2012-04-10
Daejeon, the Republic of Korea, April 9, 2012—The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced that a research team from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has developed a technology that enables scientists and engineers to observe processes occurring in liquid media on the smallest possible scale which is less than a nanometer.
Professor Jeong Yong Lee and Researcher Jong Min Yuk, in collaboration with Professor Paul Alivisatos's and Professor Alex Zettl's groups at the University of California, Berkeley, succeeded in making ...
Normalizing tumor blood vessels improves delivery of only the smallest nanomedicines
2012-04-10
Combining two strategies designed to improve the results of cancer treatment – antiangiogenesis drugs and nanomedicines – may only be successful if the smallest nanomedicines are used. A new study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers, appearing in Nature Nanotechnology, finds that normalizing blood vessels within tumors, which improves the delivery of standard chemotherapy drugs, can block the delivery of larger nanotherapy molecules.
"We found that vascular normalization only increases the delivery of the smallest nanomedicines to cancer cells," says ...
SDO and STEREO spot something new on the sun
2012-04-10
One day in the fall of 2011, Neil Sheeley, a solar scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., did what he always does – look through the daily images of the sun from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO).
But on this day he saw something he'd never noticed before: a pattern of cells with bright centers and dark boundaries occurring in the sun's atmosphere, the corona. These cells looked somewhat like a cell pattern that occurs on the sun's surface -- similar to the bubbles that rise to the top of boiling water -- but it was a surprise to find this ...
Atlanta Hardwood Flooring Can Be "Baby-Proof" If Done By FlooringAtlantaNow.com
2012-04-10
It shouldn't be surprising to those who have children, that Atlanta Hardwood Flooring is constantly in harm's way from rambunctious babies! The experts at FlooringAtlantaNow are truly masters of the trade, and most recommend using more durable types of wood for high-traffic areas of your home which are prone to scratches or abrasions.
Most Atlanta Flooring specialists agree that winter is the best time to do these types of installations and upgrades to your home. Because metro-Atlanta is known for its mild winters, the season offers a perfect climate which tends to be ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Intracortical neural interfaces: Advancing technologies for freely moving animals
Post-LLM era: New horizons for AI with knowledge, collaboration, and co-evolution
“Sloshing” from celestial collisions solves mystery of how galactic clusters stay hot
Children poisoned by the synthetic opioid, fentanyl, has risen in the U.S. – eight years of national data shows
USC researchers observe mice may have a form of first aid
VUMC to develop AI technology for therapeutic antibody discovery
Unlocking the hidden proteome: The role of coding circular RNA in cancer
Advancing lung cancer treatment: Understanding the differences between LUAD and LUSC
Study reveals widening heart disease disparities in the US
The role of ubiquitination in cancer stem cell regulation
New insights into LSD1: a key regulator in disease pathogenesis
Vanderbilt lung transplant establishes new record
Revolutionizing cancer treatment: targeting EZH2 for a new era of precision medicine
Metasurface technology offers a compact way to generate multiphoton entanglement
Effort seeks to increase cancer-gene testing in primary care
Acoustofluidics-based method facilitates intracellular nanoparticle delivery
Sulfur bacteria team up to break down organic substances in the seabed
Stretching spider silk makes it stronger
Earth's orbital rhythms link timing of giant eruptions and climate change
Ammonia build-up kills liver cells but can be prevented using existing drug
New technical guidelines pave the way for widespread adoption of methane-reducing feed additives in dairy and livestock
Eradivir announces Phase 2 human challenge study of EV25 in healthy adults infected with influenza
New study finds that tooth size in Otaria byronia reflects historical shifts in population abundance
nTIDE March 2025 Jobs Report: Employment rate for people with disabilities holds steady at new plateau, despite February dip
Breakthrough cardiac regeneration research offers hope for the treatment of ischemic heart failure
Fluoride in drinking water is associated with impaired childhood cognition
New composite structure boosts polypropylene’s low-temperature toughness
While most Americans strongly support civics education in schools, partisan divide on DEI policies and free speech on college campuses remains
Revolutionizing surface science: Visualization of local dielectric properties of surfaces
LearningEMS: A new framework for electric vehicle energy management
[Press-News.org] 23andMe identifies 5 significant genetic associations for hypothyroidismWeb-based research platform used to conduct largest genome-wide association study to date on hypothyroidism conducted includes genetic associations common to autoimmune diseases