Sequence variant at 4q25 near PITX2 associates with appendicitis

• Main Authors: Ragnar P. Kristjansson, Stefania Benonisdottir, Asmundur Oddsson, Tessel E. Galesloot, Gudmar Thorleifsson, Katja K. Aben, Olafur B. Davidsson, Stefan Jonsson, Gudny A. Arnadottir, Brynjar O. Jensson, G. Bragi Walters, Jon K. Sigurdsson, Snaevar Sigurdsson, Hilma Holm, David O. Arnar, Gudmundur Thorgeirsson, Kristin Alexiusdottir, Ingileif Jonsdottir, Unnur Thorsteinsdottir, Lambertus A. Kiemeney, Thorvaldur Jonsson, Daniel F. Gudbjartsson, Thorunn Rafnar, Patrick Sulem, Kari Stefansson
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2017-06-01
• Series: Scientific Reports
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-03353-0

Abstract Appendicitis is one of the most common conditions requiring acute surgery and can pose a threat to the lives of affected individuals. We performed a genome-wide association study of appendicitis in 7,276 Icelandic and 1,139 Dutch cases and large groups of controls. In a combined analysis of the Icelandic and Dutch data, we detected a single signal represented by an intergenic variant rs2129979 [G] close to the gene PITX2 associating with increased risk of appendicitis (OR = 1.15, P = 1.8 × 10−11). We only observe the association in patients diagnosed in adulthood. The marker is close to, but distinct from, a set of markers reported to associate with atrial fibrillation, which have been linked to PITX2. PITX2 has been implicated in determination of right-left symmetry during development. Anomalies in organ arrangement have been linked to increased prevalence of gastrointestinal and intra-abdominal complications, which may explain the effect of rs2129979 on appendicitis risk.