Article
Author: Saemundsdottir, Jona ; Melsted, Pall ; Hjalgrim, Henrik ; Knowlton, Kirk U ; Riis, Peter Theut ; Kjærsgaard Andersen, Rune ; Stefansdottir, Lilja ; Pedersen, Ole Birger Vesterager ; Nyegaard, Mette ; Hansen, Thomas Folkmann ; Ferkingstad, Egil ; Ostrowski, Sisse Rye ; Thorleifsson, Gudmar ; Zachariae, Claus ; Sørensen, Erik ; Dinh, Khoa Manh ; Jemec, Gregor Borut Ernst ; Banasik, Karina ; Halldorsson, Gisli ; Brunak, Søren ; Bruun, Mie Topholm ; Nadauld, Lincoln D ; Orvar, Kjartar B ; Saunte, Ditte Marie Lindhardt ; Jonsdottir, Ingileif ; Walters, Bragi ; Thomsen, Simon Francis ; Brodersen, Thortsen ; Stefansson, Kari ; Stefansson, Hreinn ; Knight, Stacey ; Oddsson, Asmundur ; Mikkelsen, Chirstina ; Sigurgeirsson, Bárdur ; Holm, Hilma ; Gudbjartsson, Daniel ; Sulem, Patrick ; Norddahl, Gudmundur L ; Ullum, Henrik ; Erikstrup, Christian ; Olafsdottir, Thorunn A ; Eidsmo, Liv ; Rutsdottir, Gudrun
BACKGROUNDThe contributions of genetic and environmental risk factors to hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are both poorly understood.OBJECTIVETo identify sequence variants that associate with HS and determine the contribution of environmental risk factors and inflammatory diseases to HS pathogenesis.METHODSA genome-wide association meta-analysis of 4814 HS cases (Denmark: 1977; Iceland: 1266; Finland: 800; UK: 569; and US: 202) and 1.2 million controls, searching for sequence variants associated with HS.RESULTSWe found 8 independent sequence variants associating with HS, 6 common and 2 rare (frequency <1%). Four associations point to candidate causal genes, NCSTN, PSENEN, WNT10A, and TMED10, that all map to the Notch and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways, involved in epidermal keratinization.LIMITATIONSLimited racial diversity may prevent identification of sequence variants of particular importance in non-Caucasian populations.CONCLUSIONSThese findings demonstrate that genes and pathways involved in epidermal keratinization are the genetic backbone of HS pathology.