Genetic Associations and Architecture of Asthma-COPD Overlap
Catherine John, Anna L. Guyatt, Nick Shrine, Richard Packer, Thorunn A. Olafsdottir, Jiangyuan Liu, Lystra P. Hayden, Su H. Chu, Jukka Koskela, Jian’an Luan, Xingnan Li, Natalie Terzikhan, Hanfei Xu, Traci M. Bartz, Hans Petersen, Shuguang Leng, Steven A. Belinsky, Aivaras Cepelis, Ana I. Hernández Cordero, Ma’en Obeidat, Guðmar Þorleifsson, Deborah A. Meyers, Eugene R. Bleecker, Lori C. Sakoda, Carlos Iribarren, Yohannes Tesfaigzi, Sina A. Gharib, Josée Dupuis, Guy Brusselle, Lies Lahousse, Victor E. Ortega, Ingileif Jónsdóttir, Don D. Sin, Yohan Bossé, Maarten van den Berge, David C. Nickle, Jennifer K Quint, Ian Sayers, Ian P. Hall, Claudia Langenberg, Samuli Ripatti, Tarja Laitinen, Ann Chen Wu, Jessica Lasky‐Su, Per Bakke, Amund Gulsvik, Craig P. Hersh, Caroline Hayward, Arnulf Langhammer, Ben Brumpton, Kāri Stefánsson, Michael H. Cho, Louise V. Wain, Martin D. Tobin
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Some people have characteristics of both asthma and COPD (asthma-COPD overlap), and evidence suggests they experience worse outcomes than those with either condition alone. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the genetic architecture of asthma-COPD overlap, and do the determinants of risk for asthma-COPD overlap differ from those for COPD or asthma? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: ) that remained associated in analyses comparing (1) asthma-COPD overlap vs asthma-only control subjects, and (2) asthma-COPD overlap vs COPD-only control subjects. These variants were analyzed in 12 independent cohorts (stage 2). RESULTS: ) for asthma-COPD overlap (meta-analysis of stage 1 and 2 studies). These signals suggest a spectrum of shared genetic influences, some predominantly influencing asthma (FAM105A, GLB1, PHB, TSLP), others predominantly influencing fixed airflow obstruction (IL17RD, C5orf56, HLA-DQB1). One intergenic signal on chromosome 5 had not been previously associated with asthma, COPD, or lung function. Subgroup analyses suggested that associations at these eight signals were not driven by smoking or age at asthma diagnosis, and in phenome-wide scans, eosinophil counts, atopy, and asthma traits were prominent. INTERPRETATION: We identified eight signals for asthma-COPD overlap, which may represent loci that predispose to type 2 inflammation, and serious long-term consequences of asthma.