Elevated serum urate concentrations can cause gout, a prevalent and painful inflammatory arthritis. By combining data from >140,000 individuals of European ancestry within the Global Urate Genetics Consortium (GUGC), we identified and replicated 28 genome-wide significant loci in association with serum urate concentrations (18 new regions in or near TRIM46, INHBB, SFMBT1, TMEM171, VEGFA, BAZ1B, PRKAG2, STC1, HNF4G, A1CF, ATXN2, UBE2Q2, IGF1R, NFAT5, MAF, HLF, ACVR1B-ACVRL1 and B3GNT4). Associations for many of the loci were of similar magnitude in individuals of non-European ancestry. We further characterized these loci for associations with gout, transcript expression and the fractional excretion of urate. Network analyses implicate the inhibins-activins signaling pathways and glucose metabolism in systemic urate control. New candidate genes for serum urate concentration highlight the importance of metabolic control of urate production and excretion, which may have implications for the treatment and prevention of gout.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with a wide variety of complex diseases, but do not address gene function or establish causality of disease-associated SNPs. We recently used GWAS to identify SNPs in a genomic region on chromosome 4 that associate with serum urate levels and gout, a consequence of elevated urate levels. Here we show using functional assays that human ATP-binding cassette, subfamily G, 2 (ABCG2), encoded by the ABCG2 gene contained in this region, is a hitherto unknown urate efflux transporter. We further show that native ABCG2 is located in the brush border membrane of kidney proximal tubule cells, where it mediates renal urate secretion. Introduction of the mutation Q141K encoded by the common SNP rs2231142 by site-directed mutagenesis resulted in 53% reduced urate transport rates compared to wild-type ABCG2 (P < 0.001). Data from a population-based study of 14,783 individuals support rs2231142 as the causal variant in the region and show highly significant associations with urate levels [whites: P ‫؍‬ 10 ؊30 , minor allele frequency (MAF) 0.11; blacks P ‫؍‬ 10 ؊4 , MAF 0.03] and gout (adjusted odds ratio 1.68 per risk allele, both races). Our data indicate that at least 10% of all gout cases in whites are attributable to this causal variant. With approximately 3 million US individuals suffering from often insufficiently treated gout, ABCG2 represents an attractive drug target. Our study completes the chain of evidence from association to causation and supports the common disease-common variant hypothesis in the etiology of gout.causal variant ͉ genome-wide association study ͉ uric acid U rate is the end product of purine metabolism in humans.Humans and higher primates have much higher serum urate levels than other species because they lack the enzyme uricase, which converts urate into its breakdown product allantoin (1). Serum urate levels are highly heritable, suggesting a strong genetic component (2). Reduced excretion of urate by the kidney is the main cause for elevated urate levels (1), which can lead to gout, a painful condition affecting approximately 3 million individuals in the U.S. (3). Renal urate transport is complex and still poorly understood (1); although multiple renal urate transporters have been characterized in model systems, their role in human disease is mostly unclear. In a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of serum urate levels, we recently identified multiple SNPs in a genomic region on chromosome 4 containing the ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) gene as associated with urate levels and prevalence of gout (4). ABCG2 was first identified as a multidrug resistance protein (5) and has been shown to transport a wide range of structurally and functionally diverse substrates such as chemotherapeutics (6). Yet, the physiological substrate and the roles of ABCG2 in vivo have remained elusive. Results and DiscussionABCG2 Is a Urate Transporter. To investigate whether A...

Elevated serum urate levels cause gout, and correlate with cardio-metabolic diseases via poorly understood mechanisms. We performed a trans-ethnic genome-wide association study of serum urate among 457,690 individuals, identifying 183 loci (147 novel) that improve prediction of gout in an independent cohort of 334,880 individuals. Serum urate showed significant genetic correlations with many cardio-metabolic traits, with genetic causality analyses supporting a substantial role for pleiotropy. Enrichment analysis, fine-mapping of urateassociated loci and co-localization with gene expression in 47 tissues implicated kidney and liver as main target organs and prioritized potentially causal genes and variants, including the transcriptional master regulators in liver and kidney, HNF1A and HNF4A. Experimental validation showed that HNF4A trans-activated the promoter of the major urate transporter ABCG2 in kidney cells, and that HNF4A p.Thr139Ile is a functional variant. Transcriptional coregulation within and across organs may be a general mechanism underlying the observed pleiotropy between urate and cardio-metabolic traits.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), impairment of kidney function, is a serious public health problem, and the assessment of genetic factors influencing kidney function has substantial clinical relevance. Here, we report a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for kidney function–related traits, including 71,149 east Asian individuals from 18 studies in 11 population-, hospital- or family-based cohorts, conducted as part of the Asian Genetic Epidemiology Network (AGEN). Our meta-analysis identified 17 loci newly associated with kidney function–related traits, including the concentrations of blood urea nitrogen, uric acid and serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate based on serum creatinine levels (eGFRcrea) (P < 5.0 × 10−8). We further examined these loci with in silico replication in individuals of European ancestry from the KidneyGen, CKDGen and GUGC consortia, including a combined total of ~110,347 individuals. We identify pleiotropic associations among these loci with kidney function–related traits and risk of CKD. These findings provide new insights into the genetics of kidney function.

Summary Plants produce naturally occurring insect repellents, such as citronellal, which is the main component of citronellal oil and is among the most widely-used-naturally-occurring insect repellents. However, the molecular pathways through which insects sense botanical repellents are unknown. Here, we showed that Drosophila used two pathways for direct avoidance of citronellal. The olfactory co-receptor, Or83b, which is required for the response to the synthetic repellent DEET, contributed to citronellal repulsion, and was essential for citronellal-evoked action potentials. Mutations affecting the Ca2+-permeable cation channel, TRPA1 resulted in a comparable defect in avoiding citronellal vapor. The TRPA1-dependent aversion to citronellal relied on a G protein/phospholipase C (PLC) signaling cascade, rather than direct detection of citronellal by TRPA1. Loss of TRPA1, Gq or PLC caused an increase in the frequency of citronellal-evoked action potentials in olfactory receptor neurons. Absence of the Ca2+-activated K+ channel, Slowpoke, resulted in a similar impairment in citronellal avoidance, and an increase in the frequency of action potentials. These results suggest that TRPA1 is required for activation of a BK channel to modulate citronellal-evoked action potentials, and for aversion to citronellal. In contrast to Drosophila TRPA1, Anopheles gambiae TRPA1 was directly and potently activated by citronellal, thereby raising the possibility that mosquito TRPA1 may be a target for developing improved repellents to reduce insect-borne diseases such as malaria.

Inhaled gene carriers must penetrate the highly viscoelastic and adhesive mucus barrier in the airway in order to overcome rapid mucociliary clearance and reach the underlying epithelium; however, even the most widely used viral gene carriers are unable to efficiently do so. We developed two polymeric gene carriers that compact plasmid DNA into small and highly stable nanoparticles with dense polyethylene glycol (PEG) surface coatings. These highly compacted, densely PEG-coated DNA nanoparticles rapidly penetrate human cystic fibrosis (CF) mucus ex vivo and mouse airway mucus ex situ. Intranasal administration of the mucus penetrating DNA nanoparticles greatly enhanced particle distribution, retention and gene transfer in the mouse lung airways compared to conventional gene carriers. Successful delivery of a full-length plasmid encoding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein was achieved in mouse lungs and airway cells, including a primary culture of mucus-covered human airway epithelium grown at air-liquid interface, without causing acute inflammation or toxicity. Highly compacted mucus penetrating DNA nanoparticles hold promise for lung gene therapy.

Mammalian sweet, bitter, and umami taste is mediated by a single transduction pathway that includes a phospholipase C (PLC)β and one cation channel, TRPM5. However, in insects such as the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, it is unclear whether different tastants, such as bitter compounds, are sensed in gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) through one or multiple ion channels, as the cation channels required in insect GRNs are unknown. Here, we set out to explore additional sensory roles for the Drosophila TRPA1 channel, which was known to function in thermosensation. We found that TRPA1 was expressed in GRNs that respond to aversive compounds. Elimination of TRPA1 had no impact on the responses to nearly all bitter compounds tested, including caffeine, quinine, and strychnine. Rather, we found that TRPA1 was required in a subset of avoidance GRNs for the behavioral and electrophysiological responses to aristolochic acid. TRPA1 did not appear to be activated or inhibited directly by aristolochic acid. We found that elimination of the same PLC that leads to activation of TRPA1 in thermosensory neurons was also required in the TRPA1-expressing GRNs for avoiding aristolochic acid. Given that mammalian TRPA1 is required for responding to noxious chemicals, many of which cause pain and injury, our analysis underscores the evolutionarily conserved role for TRPA1 channels in chemical avoidance.

ABCG2 is a secretory efflux uric acid transporter of the kidney proximal tubule and gut that plays a key role in uric acid excretion. Genetic defect in ABCG2 leads to significant increases in serum urate levels (SUA) causing hyperuricemia and gout. A single common variant, Q141K, is responsible for the majority of ABCG2 associated gout risk. The Q141K mutation is a loss of function mutation associated with a severe reduction in protein abundance and transport function. Previously we hypothesized the Q141K mutation leads to instability in the nucleotide‐binding domain and here we present the specific molecular mechanism of the defect and a proof of concept of its correction using small molecules. We found using a ABCG2 structural model and targeted amino acid substitutions that the Q141K mutations leads to a localized disruption in packing that affects abundance and can be partially rescued with a secondary substitution at H155A. However the use of the signature motif suppressor mutation, G188E, provides full rescue of the Q141K abundance by stabilizing the NBD dimer sandwich, a finding consistent with a Q141K defect in NBD dimer formation. Finally we show that a small molecule, VRT‐325, known to bind directly to the NBD of ABC transporters can rescue both abundance and function of Q141K ABCG2.