Novel functional atrial fibrillation risk genes and pathways identified from coexpression analyses in human left atria

Abstract

Background: Genomewide association studies have associated >100 genetic loci with atrial fibrillation (AF), but establishing causal genes contributing to AF remains challenging.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine candidate novel causal genes and mechanistic pathways associated with AF risk loci by incorporating gene expression and coexpression analyses and to provide a resource for functional studies and targeting of AF-associated genes.

Methods: Cis-expression quantitative trait loci were identified for candidate genes near AF risk variants in human left atrial tissues. Coexpression partners were identified for each candidate gene. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) identified modules and modules with overrepresentation of candidate AF genes. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) was applied to the coexpression partners of each candidate gene. IPA and gene set over representation analysis were applied to each WGCNA module.

Results: One hundred sixty-six AF-risk single nucleotide polymorphisms were located in 135 loci. Eighty-one novel genes not previously annotated as putative AF risk genes were identified. IPA identified mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, epithelial adherens junction signaling, and sirtuin signaling as the most frequent significant pathways. WGCNA characterized 64 modules (candidate AF genes overrepresented in 8), represented by cell injury, death, stress, developmental, metabolic/mitochondrial, transcription/translation, and immune activation/inflammation regulatory pathways.

Conclusion: Candidate gene coexpression analyses suggest significant roles for cellular stress and remodeling in AF, supporting a dual risk model for AF: Genetic susceptibility to AF may not manifest until later in life, when cellular stressors overwhelm adaptive responses. These analyses also provide a novel resource to guide functional studies on potential causal AF genes.

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Cellular stress; Genomewide association studies; Remodeling; Risk genes.