Publications by authors named "Broer L"

Article Synopsis
  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play a crucial role in regulating gene expression and may serve as biomarkers for various diseases through their presence in plasma.
  • The study analyzed 2083 plasma circulating miRNAs from participants in the Rotterdam Study, uncovering 3292 associations between SNPs and miRNAs, with a significant portion confirmed in further studies.
  • Findings suggest that specific miRNAs can influence a range of clinical conditions, with miR-1908-5p showing a protective effect against benign colon neoplasm, highlighting the potential for miRNA-targeted therapies in medicine.
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  • - Our study analyzed how genetic variations influence the effectiveness of metformin, a diabetes medication, in a group of 14,926 people over nearly three decades, focusing on 1,285 users of European descent.
  • - We found that while most individual genetic markers didn't show strong links to drug response, one specific variant (rs622342) was associated with improved glycemic control in patients only taking metformin.
  • - Although the combined effects of multiple genetic variants (measured by Polygenic Risk Score) had a weak correlation with changes in medication dosage, the limited impact suggests more research is needed, especially in different populations, to better understand genetic factors in diabetes treatment.
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Monoclonal antibodies are important cancer medicines. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved 48 and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 56 anticancer monoclonal antibody-based therapies. Their high prices burden healthcare systems and hamper global drug access.

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  • Scientists looked at the timing of when girls start their periods (called menarche) and how it can affect their health later in life.
  • They studied about 800,000 women and found over a thousand genetic signals that influence when menstruation starts.
  • Some women have a much higher chance of starting their periods too early or too late based on their genetic makeup, suggesting that genes play a big role in this process!
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Objective: To discover new variants associated with low ovarian reserve after gonadotoxic treatment among adult female childhood cancer survivors using a genome-wide association study approach.

Design: Genome-wide association study.

Setting: Not applicable.

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A common feature of human aging is the acquisition of somatic mutations, and mitochondria are particularly prone to mutation due to their inefficient DNA repair and close proximity to reactive oxygen species, leading to a state of mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy. Cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that detection of heteroplasmy increases with participant age, a phenomenon that has been attributed to genetic drift. In this first large-scale longitudinal study, we measured heteroplasmy in two prospective cohorts (combined n=1405) at two timepoints (mean time between visits, 8.

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Pubertal timing varies considerably and has been associated with a range of health outcomes in later life. To elucidate the underlying biological mechanisms, we performed multi-ancestry genetic analyses in ~800,000 women, identifying 1,080 independent signals associated with age at menarche. Collectively these loci explained 11% of the trait variance in an independent sample, with women at the top and bottom 1% of polygenic risk exhibiting a ~11 and ~14-fold higher risk of delayed and precocious pubertal development, respectively.

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Skull bone mineral density (SK-BMD) provides a suitable trait for the discovery of key genes in bone biology, particularly to intramembranous ossification, not captured at other skeletal sites. We perform a genome-wide association meta-analysis (n ~ 43,800) of SK-BMD, identifying 59 loci, collectively explaining 12.5% of the trait variance.

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Purpose: Dexamethasone, the preferred corticosteroid in most treatment protocols for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), can induce undesirable side effects. Neurobehavioral and sleep problems are frequently reported, but the interpatient variability is high. We therefore aimed to identify determinants for parent-reported dexamethasone-induced neurobehavioral and sleep problems in pediatric ALL.

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Background: Among neonates with hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN), we aimed to describe the frequency of central-line use, indications for insertion, and incidence of confirmed and suspected sepsis, including antibiotic treatment over a 10-year surveillance period.

Study Design And Methods: All neonates with HDFN admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit between January 2012 and December 2021 were included in this retrospective, cohort study. Annual proportions of infants with a central-line and central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates (per 1000 central-line days and per 100 infants) were evaluated.

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Objective: Polygenic risk scores (PRS) allow risk stratification using common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and clinical applications are currently explored for several diseases. This study was undertaken to assess the risk of hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) using PRS.

Methods: We analyzed 12,732 individuals from a population-based cohort from the Rotterdam Study (n = 11,496), a clinical cohort (Cohort Hip and Cohort Knee [CHECK] study; n = 908), and a high-risk cohort of overweight women (Prevention of Knee OA in Overweight Females [PROOF] study; n = 328), for the association of the PRS with prevalence/incidence of radiographic OA, of clinical OA, and of total hip replacement (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR).

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Article Synopsis
  • - Mitochondrial diseases arise from mutations in the mitochondrial or nuclear DNA, with variants occurring in either a mixed (heteroplasmy) or uniform (homoplasmy) state, which impacts cell function and disease outcomes.
  • - A new bioinformatics pipeline was developed to analyze whole genome sequencing data, identifying mitochondrial variants and quantifying mtDNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) for better understanding of mitochondrial genetics and its role in diseases.
  • - This pipeline improves the detection of heteroplasmic variants, particularly in non-homopolymer regions and the D-loop of mitochondrial DNA, showing a significant correlation with age and outperforms existing tools in capturing critical genetic features.
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  • Hearing loss is a significant contributor to disability and may increase the risk of dementia, prompting research into its genetic origins.
  • A large-scale genome-wide association study involving over 723,000 participants identified 48 key genetic loci related to hearing impairment, with 10 being new discoveries.
  • The research highlights the crucial role of the stria vascularis in the cochlea, pointing to potential new avenues for treating hearing loss.
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  • The study investigates whether polymorphisms in the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) promoter affect AMH levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  • A specific polymorphism, rs10406324, is linked to lower serum AMH levels, suggesting it influences AMH gene expression regulation in these women.
  • The research included a large cohort of PCOS patients and additional control groups, using various genetic and laboratory methods to analyze the relationships between AMH promoter SNPs and AMH levels.
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The mesothelin (MSLN)-targeted Th conjugate is a novel α-therapy developed to treat MSLN-overexpressing cancers. We radiolabeled the same antibody-chelator conjugate with Zr to evaluate whether PET imaging with Zr-MSLN matches Th-MSLN tumor uptake, biodistribution, and antitumor activity. Serial PET imaging with protein doses of 4, 20, or 40 μg of Zr-MSLN and Zr-control was performed up to 168 h after tracer injection in human tumor-bearing nude mice with high (HT29-MSLN) and low (BxPc3) MSLN expression.

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Background & Aims: A genome-wide significant association between anti-Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) IgG titers and Toll-like receptor (TLR1/6/10) locus on 4p14 was demonstrated for individuals of European ancestry, but not uniformly replicated. We re-investigated this association in an updated genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis for populations with low gastric cancer incidence, address potential causes of cohort heterogeneity, and explore functional implications of genetic variation at the TLR1/6/10 locus.

Methods: The dichotomous GWAS (25% individuals exhibiting highest anti-H pylori IgG titers vs remaining 75%) included discovery and replication sampls of, respectively, n = 15,685 and n = 9676, all of European ancestry.

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Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN) measured from blood specimens is a minimally invasive marker of mitochondrial function that exhibits both inter-individual and intercellular variation. To identify genes involved in regulating mitochondrial function, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 465,809 White individuals from the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) consortium and the UK Biobank (UKB). We identified 133 SNPs with statistically significant, independent effects associated with mtDNA-CN across 100 loci.

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  • Female childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) face a risk of ovarian dysfunction due to therapy, particularly from alkylating agents (AAs), with genetic factors potentially influencing this risk.
  • A study evaluated the relationship between genetic polymorphisms in CYP450 enzymes and ovarian function in adult CCSs by measuring anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels and using regression models on data from multiple cohorts.
  • Results indicated that specific genetic variants significantly impacted AMH levels, suggesting that understanding these genetic factors can aid in personalized counseling for ovarian health among female CCSs.
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  • This research identifies 290 genetic factors linked to ovarian ageing by analyzing the age at natural menopause in 200,000 European women, highlighting how genetics can influence reproductive lifespan.* -
  • The study reveals that these genetic variants are connected to DNA damage response processes that impact ovarian reserve and depletion rates, suggesting potential therapeutic targets.* -
  • Manipulating these pathways in experimental models showed promise in boosting fertility and extending reproductive longevity, while also indicating benefits and risks for women's overall health, such as improved bone health but increased cancer risk.*
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In children with cancer, the heterogeneity in ototoxicity occurrence after similar treatment suggests a role for genetic susceptibility. Using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach, we identified a genetic variant in TCERG1L (rs893507) to be associated with hearing loss in 390 non-cranial irradiated, cisplatin-treated children with cancer. These results were replicated in two independent, similarly treated cohorts (n = 192 and 188, respectively) (combined cohort: P = 5.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates genetic and environmental factors influencing biological aging, using DNA methylation data from over 40,000 individuals to identify genetic loci associated with epigenetic aging markers.
  • It identified 137 significant genetic loci, including 113 that were previously unknown, linked to various epigenetic clocks and related biological measurements.
  • The findings suggest a connection between genetic factors, lifestyle choices, and longevity, shedding light on the complex genetics of aging.
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Array technology to genotype single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) is widely used in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), clinical diagnostics, and linkage studies. Arrays have undergone a tremendous growth in both number and content over recent years making a comprehensive comparison all the more important. We have compared 28 genotyping arrays on their overall content, genome-wide coverage, imputation quality, presence of known GWAS loci, mtDNA variants and clinically relevant genes (i.

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Study Question: Do genetic variations in the DNA damage response pathway modify the adverse effect of alkylating agents on ovarian function in female childhood cancer survivors (CCS)?

Summary Answer: Female CCS carrying a common BR serine/threonine kinase 1 (BRSK1) gene variant appear to be at 2.5-fold increased odds of reduced ovarian function after treatment with high doses of alkylating chemotherapy.

What Is Known Already: Female CCS show large inter-individual variability in the impact of DNA-damaging alkylating chemotherapy, given as treatment of childhood cancer, on adult ovarian function.

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Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in people with intellectual disabilities (ID), but in practice continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is often deemed unfeasible. We investigated adherence to and effect of CPAP in patients with ID and OSA.

Methods: Patients with ID were started on CPAP using an intensive training program.

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