Genetic association of primary nonresponse to anti-TNFα therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Tanima De, Honghong Zhang, Cristina Alarcon, Bianca Lec, Juan Avitia, Erin Smithberger, Chuyu Chen, Minnie Horvath, Sara Kwan, Mary Young, Sarbani Adhikari, John Kwon, Jennifer Pacheco, Gail Jarvik, Wei Qi Wei, Frank Mentch, Hakon Hakonarson, Patrick Sleiman, Adam Gordon, John HarleyJim Linneman, Scott Hebbring, Loukia Parisiadou, Minoli A. Perera*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives Primary nonresponse (PNR) to antitumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) biologics is a serious concern in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to identify the genetic variants associated with PNR. Patients and methods Patients were recruited from outpatient GI clinics and PNR was determined using both clinical and endoscopic findings. A case-control genome-wide association study was performed in 589 IBD patients and associations were replicated in an independent cohort of 293 patients. Effect of the associated variant on gene expression and TNFα secretion was assessed by cell-based assays. Pleiotropic effects were investigated by Phenome-wide association study (PheWAS). Results We identified rs34767465 as associated with PNR to anti-TNFα therapy (odds ratio: 2.07, 95% CI, 1.46-2.94, P = 2.43 × 10-7, [replication odds ratio: 1.8, 95% CI, 1.04-3.16, P = 0.03]). rs34767465 is a multiple-tissue expression quantitative trait loci for FAM114A2. Using RNA-sequencing and protein quantification from HapMap lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs), we found a significant decrease in FAM114A2 mRNA and protein expression in both heterozygous and homozygous genotypes when compared to wild type LCLs. TNFα secretion was significantly higher in THP-1 cells [differentiated into macrophages] with FAM114A2 knockdown versus controls. Immunoblotting experiments showed that depletion of FAM114A2 impaired autophagy-related pathway genes suggesting autophagy-mediated TNFα secretion as a potential mechanism. PheWAS showed rs34767465 was associated with comorbid conditions found in IBD patients (derangement of joints [P = 3.7 × 10-4], pigmentary iris degeneration [P = 5.9 × 10-4], diverticulum of esophagus [P = 7 × 10-4]). Conclusions We identified a variant rs34767465 associated with PNR to anti-TNFα biologics, which increases TNFα secretion through mechanism related to autophagy. rs34767465 may also explain the comorbidities associated with IBD.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1-9
Number of pages9
JournalPharmacogenetics and genomics
Volume32
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2022

Keywords

  • anti-TNFα
  • genome-wide association study
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • primary nonresponse
  • single-nucleotide polymorphism

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Medicine
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
  • Genetics(clinical)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Genetic association of primary nonresponse to anti-TNFα therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this