G = E: What GWAS Can Tell Us about the Environment

Suzanne H. Gage; George Davey Smith; Jennifer J. Ware; Jonathan Flint; Marcus R. Munafò

doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1005765

G = E: What GWAS Can Tell Us about the Environment

Suzanne H. Gage, George Davey Smith, Jennifer J. Ware, Jonathan Flint, Marcus R. Munafò

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77 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

As our understanding of genetics has improved, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous variants associated with lifestyle behaviours and health outcomes. However, what is sometimes overlooked is the possibility that genetic variants identified in GWAS of disease might reflect the effect of modifiable risk factors as well as direct genetic effects. We discuss this possibility with illustrative examples from tobacco and alcohol research, in which genetic variants that predict behavioural phenotypes have been seen in GWAS of diseases known to be causally related to these behaviours. This consideration has implications for the interpretation of GWAS findings.

Original language	English
Article number	e1005765
Journal	Plos Genetics
Volume	12
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1005765
Publication status	Published - 11 Feb 2016

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Gage et al.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Molecular Biology
Genetics
Genetics(clinical)
Cancer Research

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1371/journal.pgen.1005765Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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G = E: What GWAS Can Tell Us about the Environment

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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