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Large-scale blood pressure GWAS accounting for gene-depression interactions in 564,680 individuals from diverse populations
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Large-scale blood pressure GWAS accounting for gene-depression interactions in 564,680 individuals from diverse populations

Lifelines Cohort Study, Songmi Lee, Clint L. Miller, Amy R. Bentley, Michael R. Brown, Pavithra Nagarajan, Raymond Noordam, John L Morrison, Karen Schwander, Kenneth Westerman, …
HGG advances, v 7(2), 100566
09 Apr 2026
PMID: 41520179
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xhgg.2026.100566View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open CC BY V4.0

Abstract

blood pressure depressive symptomatology gene-environment interactions genome-wide association study multi-ancestry Genetics Hypertension
Gene-environment interactions may enhance our understanding of blood pressure (BP) biology. We conducted a meta-analysis of multi-population genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of BP traits accounting for gene-depressive symptomatology (DEPR) interactions. Our study included 564,680 adults from 67 cohorts and four population backgrounds: African (5%), Asian (7%), European (85%), and Hispanic (3%). We discovered seven previously unreported BP loci showing gene-DEPR interaction. These loci mapped to genes implicated in neurogenesis (TGFA and CASP3), lipid metabolism (ACSL1), neuronal apoptosis (CASP3), and synaptic activity (CNTN6 and DBI). We also showed evidence for gene-DEPR interaction at nine known BP loci, further suggesting links between mood disturbance and BP regulation. Of the 16 identified loci, 11 were derived from non-European populations. Post-GWAS analyses prioritized 36 genes, including genes involved in synaptic functions (DOCK4 and MAGI2) and neuronal signaling (CCK, UGDH, and SLC01A2). Integrative druggability analyses identified 11 druggable candidate gene targets linked to pathways involved in mood disorders as well as known anti-hypertensive drugs. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering gene-DEPR interactions on BP, particularly in non-European populations. Our prioritized genes and druggable targets highlight biological pathways connecting mood disorders and hypertension and suggest opportunities for BP drug repurposing and risk factor prevention, especially in individuals with DEPR. We conducted a genome-wide interaction study of blood pressure (BP) traits in 564,680 adults that identified 16 BP loci exhibiting gene-depressive symptomatology interactions. Prioritized genes at these loci pointed to druggable targets linked to pathways involved in mood disorders as well as known anti-hypertensive drugs.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Genetics & Heredity
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