GWAS meta-analysis of over 29,000 people with epilepsy identifies 26 risk loci and subtype-specific genetic architecture

International League Against Epilepsy Consortium on Complex Epilepsies

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

Epilepsy is a highly heritable disorder affecting over 50 million people worldwide, of which about one-third are resistant to current treatments. Here we report a multi-ancestry genome-wide association study including 29,944 cases, stratified into three broad categories and seven subtypes of epilepsy, and 52,538 controls. We identify 26 genome-wide significant loci, 19 of which are specific to genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE). We implicate 29 likely causal genes underlying these 26 loci. SNP-based heritability analyses show that common variants explain between 39.6% and 90% of genetic risk for GGE and its subtypes. Subtype analysis revealed markedly different genetic architectures between focal and generalized epilepsies. Gene-set analyses of GGE signals implicate synaptic processes in both excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the brain. Prioritized candidate genes overlap with monogenic epilepsy genes and with targets of current antiseizure medications. Finally, we leverage our results to identify alternate drugs with predicted efficacy if repurposed for epilepsy treatment.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1471-1482
Number of pages12
JournalNature Genetics
Volume55
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2023

Funding

FundersFunder number
Bone Health Fund and Research Grants Council27100416
Congenica
Epilepsy Society, UK
Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research
National Institutes of HealthU01MH105641
National Institutes of Health
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Human Genome Research Institute
Harvard University
Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Wellcome Trust084730
Wellcome Trust
Seventh Framework Programme279062
Seventh Framework Programme
Broad Institute5U01HG009088-02, UM1 HG008895
Broad Institute
UK Research and InnovationMR/S02638X/1
UK Research and Innovation
European Commission
National Health and Medical Research CouncilAPP533086, APP1195236, 1091593
National Health and Medical Research Council
Science Foundation Ireland16/RC/3948
Science Foundation Ireland
Deutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftNO755/13-1, NO755/6-1
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
University of Melbourne203914/Z/16/Z
University of Melbourne
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo2013/07559-3
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Fonds National de la Recherche LuxembourgINTER/DFG/21/16394868 MechEPI2
Fonds National de la Recherche Luxembourg
Academy of Finland
European Regional Development Fund
NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre
NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre1616091
NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre
Muir Maxwell Trust

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