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Sulfatase modifying factor 1 (SUMF1) is associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Weidner, Julie LU ; Jarenbäck, Linnea LU ; de Jong, Kim LU ; Vonk, Judith M ; van den Berge, Maarten ; Brandsma, Corry Anke ; Boezen, H. Marike ; Sin, Don D. ; Bossé, Yohan and Nickle, David , et al. (2017) In Respiratory Research 18(1).
Abstract

Background: It has been observed that mice lacking the sulfatase modifying factor (Sumf1) developed an emphysema-like phenotype. However, it is unknown if SUMF1 may play a role in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in humans. The aim was to investigate if the expression and genetic regulation of SUMF1 differs between smokers with and without COPD. Methods: SUMF1 mRNA was investigated in sputum cells and whole blood from controls and COPD patients (all current or former smokers). Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis was used to investigate if single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SUMF1 were significantly associated with SUMF1 expression. The association of SUMF1 SNPs with COPD was examined in a population... (More)

Background: It has been observed that mice lacking the sulfatase modifying factor (Sumf1) developed an emphysema-like phenotype. However, it is unknown if SUMF1 may play a role in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in humans. The aim was to investigate if the expression and genetic regulation of SUMF1 differs between smokers with and without COPD. Methods: SUMF1 mRNA was investigated in sputum cells and whole blood from controls and COPD patients (all current or former smokers). Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis was used to investigate if single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SUMF1 were significantly associated with SUMF1 expression. The association of SUMF1 SNPs with COPD was examined in a population based cohort, Lifelines. SUMF1 mRNA from sputum cells, lung tissue, and lung fibroblasts, as well as lung function parameters, were investigated in relation to genotype. Results: Certain splice variants of SUMF1 showed a relatively high expression in lung tissue compared to many other tissues. SUMF1 Splice variant 2 and 3 showed lower levels in sputum cells from COPD patients as compared to controls. Twelve SNPs were found significant by eQTL analysis and overlapped with the array used for genotyping of Lifelines. We found alterations in mRNA expression in sputum cells and lung fibroblasts associated with SNP rs11915920 (top hit in eQTL), which validated the results of the lung tissue eQTL analysis. Of the twelve SNPs, two SNPs, rs793391 and rs308739, were found to be associated with COPD in Lifelines. The SNP rs793391 was also confirmed to be associated with lung function changes. Conclusions: We show that SUMF1 expression is affected in COPD patients compared to controls, and that SNPs in SUMF1 are associated with an increased risk of COPD. Certain COPD-associated SNPs have effects on either SUMF1 gene expression or on lung function. Collectively, this study shows that SUMF1 is associated with an increased risk of developing COPD.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Lung fibroblast, Single nucleotide polymorphism, Sputum, Sulfatase modifying factor 1
in
Respiratory Research
volume
18
issue
1
article number
77
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85018974649
  • pmid:28464818
  • wos:000400645100003
ISSN
1465-9921
DOI
10.1186/s12931-017-0562-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fcfb16fe-c18e-47e6-b563-9c582d9c3396
date added to LUP
2017-06-08 10:27:03
date last changed
2024-04-14 12:47:03
@article{fcfb16fe-c18e-47e6-b563-9c582d9c3396,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: It has been observed that mice lacking the sulfatase modifying factor (Sumf1) developed an emphysema-like phenotype. However, it is unknown if SUMF1 may play a role in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in humans. The aim was to investigate if the expression and genetic regulation of SUMF1 differs between smokers with and without COPD. Methods: SUMF1 mRNA was investigated in sputum cells and whole blood from controls and COPD patients (all current or former smokers). Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis was used to investigate if single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SUMF1 were significantly associated with SUMF1 expression. The association of SUMF1 SNPs with COPD was examined in a population based cohort, Lifelines. SUMF1 mRNA from sputum cells, lung tissue, and lung fibroblasts, as well as lung function parameters, were investigated in relation to genotype. Results: Certain splice variants of SUMF1 showed a relatively high expression in lung tissue compared to many other tissues. SUMF1 Splice variant 2 and 3 showed lower levels in sputum cells from COPD patients as compared to controls. Twelve SNPs were found significant by eQTL analysis and overlapped with the array used for genotyping of Lifelines. We found alterations in mRNA expression in sputum cells and lung fibroblasts associated with SNP rs11915920 (top hit in eQTL), which validated the results of the lung tissue eQTL analysis. Of the twelve SNPs, two SNPs, rs793391 and rs308739, were found to be associated with COPD in Lifelines. The SNP rs793391 was also confirmed to be associated with lung function changes. Conclusions: We show that SUMF1 expression is affected in COPD patients compared to controls, and that SNPs in SUMF1 are associated with an increased risk of COPD. Certain COPD-associated SNPs have effects on either SUMF1 gene expression or on lung function. Collectively, this study shows that SUMF1 is associated with an increased risk of developing COPD.</p>}},
  author       = {{Weidner, Julie and Jarenbäck, Linnea and de Jong, Kim and Vonk, Judith M and van den Berge, Maarten and Brandsma, Corry Anke and Boezen, H. Marike and Sin, Don D. and Bossé, Yohan and Nickle, David and Ankerst, Jaro and Bjermer, Leif and Postma, Dirkje S and Faiz, Alen and Tufvesson, Ellen}},
  issn         = {{1465-9921}},
  keywords     = {{Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Lung fibroblast; Single nucleotide polymorphism; Sputum; Sulfatase modifying factor 1}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{Respiratory Research}},
  title        = {{Sulfatase modifying factor 1 (SUMF1) is associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12931-017-0562-5}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s12931-017-0562-5}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}