TY - JOUR
T1 - Genome-wide association study of male sexual orientation
AU - Sanders, Alan R.
AU - Beecham, Gary W.
AU - Guo, Shengru
AU - Dawood, Khytam
AU - Rieger, Gerulf
AU - Badner, Judith A.
AU - Gershon, Elliot S.
AU - Krishnappa, Ritesha S.
AU - Kolundzija, Alana B.
AU - Duan, Jubao
AU - Shi, Jianxin
AU - Levinson, Douglas F.
AU - Mowry, Bryan J.
AU - Olincy, Ann
AU - Amin, Farooq
AU - Cloninger, C. Robert
AU - Svrakic, Dragan M.
AU - Silverman, Jeremy M.
AU - Buccola, Nancy G.
AU - Byerley, William F.
AU - Black, Donald W.
AU - Freedman, Robert
AU - Gejman, Pablo V.
AU - Bailey, J. Michael
AU - Martin, Eden R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s).
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - Family and twin studies suggest that genes play a role in male sexual orientation. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of male sexual orientation on a primarily European ancestry sample of 1,077 homosexual men and 1,231 heterosexual men using Affymetrix single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays. We identified several SNPs with p < 10-5, including regions of multiple supporting SNPs on chromosomes 13 (minimum p = 7.5 × 10-7) and 14 (p = 4.7 × 10-7). The genes nearest to these peaks have functions plausibly relevant to the development of sexual orientation. On chromosome 13, SLITRK6 is a neurodevelopmental gene mostly expressed in the diencephalon, which contains a region previously reported as differing in size in men by sexual orientation. On chromosome 14, TSHR genetic variants in intron 1 could conceivably help explain past findings relating familial atypical thyroid function and male homosexuality. Furthermore, skewed X chromosome inactivation has been found in the thyroid condition, Graves' disease, as well as in mothers of homosexual men. On pericentromeric chromosome 8 within our previously reported linkage peak, we found support (p = 4.1 × 10-3) for a SNP association previously reported (rs77013977, p = 7.1 × 10-8), with the combined analysis yielding p = 6.7 × 10-9, i.e., a genome-wide significant association.
AB - Family and twin studies suggest that genes play a role in male sexual orientation. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of male sexual orientation on a primarily European ancestry sample of 1,077 homosexual men and 1,231 heterosexual men using Affymetrix single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays. We identified several SNPs with p < 10-5, including regions of multiple supporting SNPs on chromosomes 13 (minimum p = 7.5 × 10-7) and 14 (p = 4.7 × 10-7). The genes nearest to these peaks have functions plausibly relevant to the development of sexual orientation. On chromosome 13, SLITRK6 is a neurodevelopmental gene mostly expressed in the diencephalon, which contains a region previously reported as differing in size in men by sexual orientation. On chromosome 14, TSHR genetic variants in intron 1 could conceivably help explain past findings relating familial atypical thyroid function and male homosexuality. Furthermore, skewed X chromosome inactivation has been found in the thyroid condition, Graves' disease, as well as in mothers of homosexual men. On pericentromeric chromosome 8 within our previously reported linkage peak, we found support (p = 4.1 × 10-3) for a SNP association previously reported (rs77013977, p = 7.1 × 10-8), with the combined analysis yielding p = 6.7 × 10-9, i.e., a genome-wide significant association.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85038086437&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s41598-017-15736-4
DO - 10.1038/s41598-017-15736-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 29217827
AN - SCOPUS:85038086437
SN - 2045-2322
VL - 7
JO - Scientific Reports
JF - Scientific Reports
IS - 1
M1 - 16950
ER -