International study IDs 22 new genetic risk factors for stroke
An international group of scientists identified 22 new genetic risk factors for stroke, more than tripling the number of gene regions known to impact stroke risk. The total number of stroke risk loci is now 32, the researchers reported March 12 in Nature Genetics.
“This study really advances what we know about the genetics of stroke,” study coauthor Steven Kittner, MD, of the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), said in a press release. “With this new information we can help researchers work to develop new treatments and new therapies.”
Considered the largest ever study on stroke genetics, the study included DNA samples of 521,612 individuals from every continent but Antarctica. Among that group, 67,162 had stroke.
According to the press release, the results showed stroke shares many of the same genetic influences with other vascular conditions, including blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease and venous thromboembolism.
The study included research groups from 20 countries and DNA samples from a diverse cohort, making it more likely the results widely apply. Other UMSOM researchers said the study highlights the importance of international collaboration in research projects.
“These findings, which link stroke with multiple other diseases, and with dysregulation of genes, proteins and molecular pathways in specific cell types and organs, were generated using novel bioinformatics approaches that use information from many international biological databases,” said coauthor Braxton Mitchell, PhD, MPH, a professor of medicine at UMSOM. “This work underscores the vital importance of data sharing.”
Daniel joined TriMed’s Chicago editorial team in 2017 as a Cardiovascular Business writer. He previously worked as a writer for daily newspapers in North Dakota and Indiana.