Common variants at only two loci, FTO and MC4R, have been reproducibly associated with body mass index (BMI) in humans. To identify additional loci, we conducted meta-analysis of 15 genome-wide association studies for BMI (n > 32,000) and followed up top signals in 14 additional cohorts (n > 59,000). We strongly confirm FTO and MC4R and identify six additional loci (P < 5 × 10−8): TMEM18, KCTD15, GNPDA2, SH2B1, MTCH2 and NEGR1 (where a 45-kb deletion polymorphism is a candidate causal variant). Several of the likely causal genes are highly expressed or known to act in the central nervous system (CNS), emphasizing, as in rare monogenic forms of obesity, the role of the CNS in predisposition to obesity.

Elevated blood pressure is a common, heritable cause of cardiovascular disease worldwide. To date, identification of common genetic variants influencing blood pressure has proven challenging. We tested 2.5m genotyped and imputed SNPs for association with systolic and diastolic blood pressure in 34,433 subjects of European ancestry from the Global BPgen consortium and followed up findings with direct genotyping (N≤71,225 European ancestry, N=12,889 Indian Asian ancestry) and in silico comparison (CHARGE consortium, N=29,136). We identified association between systolic or diastolic blood pressure and common variants in 8 regions near the CYP17A1 (P=7×10−24), CYP1A2 (P=1×10−23), FGF5 (P=1×10−21), SH2B3 (P=3×10−18), MTHFR (P=2×10−13), c10orf107 (P=1×10−9), ZNF652 (P=5×10−9) and PLCD3 (P=1×10−8) genes. All variants associated with continuous blood pressure were associated with dichotomous hypertension. These associations between common variants and blood pressure and hypertension offer mechanistic insights into the regulation of blood pressure and may point to novel targets for interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease.

To identify previously unknown genetic loci associated with fasting glucose concentrations, we examined the leading association signals in ten genome-wide association scans involving a total of 36,610 individuals of European descent. Variants in the gene encoding melatonin receptor 1B (MTNR1B) were consistently associated with fasting glucose across all ten studies. The strongest signal was observed at rs10830963, where each G allele (frequency 0.30 in HapMap CEU) was associated with an increase of 0.07 (95% CI ¼ 0.06-0.08) mmol/l in fasting glucose levels (P ¼ 3.2 Â 10 À50 ) and reduced beta-cell function as measured by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-B, P ¼ 1.1 Â 10 À15 ). The same allele was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (odds ratio ¼ 1.09 (1.05-1.12), per G allele P ¼ 3.3 Â 10 À7 ) in a meta-analysis of 13 case-control studies totaling 18,236 cases and 64,453 controls. Our analyses also confirm previous associations of fasting glucose with variants at the G6PC2 (rs560887, P ¼ 1.1 Â 10 À57 ) and GCK (rs4607517, P ¼ 1.0 Â 10 À25 ) loci.Blood and plasma fasting glucose levels are tightly regulated within a narrow physiologic range by a feedback mechanism that targets a particular fasting glucose set point for each individual 1,2 . Disruption of normal glucose homeostasis and substantial elevations of fasting glucose are hallmarks of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and typically result from sustained reduction in pancreatic beta-cell function and insulin secretion.However, even within healthy, nondiabetic populations there is substantial variation in fasting glucose levels. Approximately one-third of this variation is genetic 3 , but little of this heritability has been explained. There is growing evidence to suggest that common variants contributing to variation in fasting glucose are largely distinct from those associated with major disruptions of beta-cell function that predispose to T2D. Common sequence variants in the GCK (glucokinase) promoter 4-6 , and around genes encoding the islet-specific glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PC2) 5,6 and the glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR) 7-9 , have each been associated with individual variation in fasting glucose levels, but have, at best, weak effects on T2D

Background The 18-month efficacy of a single course of rituximab as compared with conventional immunosuppression with cyclophosphamide followed by azathioprine in patients with severe (organ-threatening) antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–associated vasculitis is unknown. Methods In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, noninferiority trial, we compared rituximab (375 mg per square meter of body-surface area administered once a week for 4 weeks) followed by placebo with cyclophosphamide administered for 3 to 6 months followed by azathioprine for 12 to 15 months. The primary outcome measure was complete remission of disease by 6 months, with the remission maintained through 18 months. Results A total of 197 patients were enrolled. As reported previously, 64% of the patients in the rituximab group, as compared with 53% of the patients in the cyclophosphamide–azathioprine group, had a complete remission by 6 months. At 12 and 18 months, 48% and 39%, respectively, of the patients in the rituximab group had maintained the complete remissions, as compared with 39% and 33%, respectively, in the comparison group. Rituximab met the prespecified criteria for noninferiority (P<0.001, with a noninferiority margin of 20%). There was no significant difference between the groups in any efficacy measure, including the duration of complete remission and the frequency or severity of relapses. Among the 101 patients who had relapsing disease at baseline, rituximab was superior to conventional immunosuppression at 6 months (P = 0.01) and at 12 months (P = 0.009) but not at 18 months (P = 0.06), at which time most patients in the rituximab group had reconstituted B cells. There was no significant between-group difference in adverse events. Conclusions In patients with severe ANCA-associated vasculitis, a single course of rituximab was as effective as continuous conventional immunosuppressive therapy for the induction and maintenance of remissions over the course of 18 months. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others; RAVE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00104299.)

ORONARY HEART DISEASE (CHD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. 1 Inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of CHD at every stage from initiation to progression and rupture of the atherosclerotic plaque. 2 Creactive protein (CRP), an acutephase protein synthesized primarily by the liver, is currently the most widely used biomarker of inflammation. 3 Ob-servational studies have consistently demonstrated that higher plasma levels of CRP are associated with higher risk of CHD, 4,5 and measurement of CRP has been advocated as a means of improving risk prediction. 6 There is See also pp 49 and 92.

To identify genetic loci influencing central obesity and fat distribution, we performed a meta-analysis of 16 genome-wide association studies (GWAS, N = 38,580) informative for adult waist circumference (WC) and waist–hip ratio (WHR). We selected 26 SNPs for follow-up, for which the evidence of association with measures of central adiposity (WC and/or WHR) was strong and disproportionate to that for overall adiposity or height. Follow-up studies in a maximum of 70,689 individuals identified two loci strongly associated with measures of central adiposity; these map near TFAP2B (WC, P = 1.9×10−11) and MSRA (WC, P = 8.9×10−9). A third locus, near LYPLAL1, was associated with WHR in women only (P = 2.6×10−8). The variants near TFAP2B appear to influence central adiposity through an effect on overall obesity/fat-mass, whereas LYPLAL1 displays a strong female-only association with fat distribution. By focusing on anthropometric measures of central obesity and fat distribution, we have identified three loci implicated in the regulation of human adiposity.

Plasma liver-enzyme tests are widely used in the clinic for the diagnosis of liver diseases and for monitoring the response to drug treatment. There is considerable evidence that human genetic variation influences plasma levels of liver enzymes. However, such genetic variation has not been systematically assessed. In the present study, we performed a genome-wide association study of plasma liver-enzyme levels in three populations (total n = 7715) with replication in three additional cohorts (total n = 4704). We identified two loci influencing plasma levels of alanine-aminotransferase (ALT) (CPN1-ERLIN1-CHUK on chromosome 10 and PNPLA3-SAMM50 on chromosome 22), one locus influencing gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels (HNF1A on chromosome 12), and three loci for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels (ALPL on chromosome 1, GPLD1 on chromosome 6, and JMJD1C-REEP3 on chromosome 10). In addition, we confirmed the associations between the GGT1 locus and GGT levels and between the ABO locus and ALP levels. None of the ALP-associated SNPs were associated with other liver tests, suggesting intestine and/or bone specificity. The mechanisms underlying the associations may involve cis- or trans-transcriptional effects (some of the identified variants were associated with mRNA transcription in human liver or lymphoblastoid cells), dysfunction of the encoded proteins (caused by missense variations at the functional domains), or other unknown pathways. These findings may help in the interpretation of liver-enzyme tests and provide candidate genes for liver diseases of viral, metabolic, autoimmune, or toxic origin. The specific associations with ALP levels may point to genes for bone or intestinal diseases.

Objectives Genetic studies might provide new insights into the biological mechanisms underlying lipid metabolism and risk of CAD. We therefore conducted a genome-wide association study to identify novel genetic determinants of LDL-c, HDL-c and triglycerides. Methods and results We combined genome-wide association data from eight studies, comprising up to 17,723 participants with information on circulating lipid concentrations. We did independent replication studies in up to 37,774 participants from eight populations and also in a population of Indian Asian descent. We also assessed the association between SNPs at lipid loci and risk of CAD in up to 9,633 cases and 38,684 controls. We identified four novel genetic loci that showed reproducible associations with lipids (P values 1.6 × 10−8 to 3.1 × 10−10). These include a potentially functional SNP in the SLC39A8 gene for HDL-c, a SNP near the MYLIP/GMPR and PPP1R3B genes for LDL-c and at the AFF1 gene for triglycerides. SNPs showing strong statistical association with one or more lipid traits at the CELSR2, APOB, APOE-C1-C4-C2 cluster, LPL, ZNF259-APOA5-A4-C3-A1 cluster and TRIB1 loci were also associated with CAD risk (P values 1.1 × 10−3 to 1.2 × 10−9). Conclusions We have identified four novel loci associated with circulating lipids. We also show that in addition to those that are largely associated with LDL-c, genetic loci mainly associated with circulating triglycerides and HDL-c are also associated with risk of CAD. These findings potentially provide new insights into the biological mechanisms underlying lipid metabolism and CAD risk.