Heritability of Ocular Traits in Hispanics

Authors

Aaron T. Gomez, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of MedicineFollow
Gladys E. Maestre, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Jesus D. Melgarejo, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Vincent P. Diego, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Nicholas B. Blackburn, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Juan B. Yepez
Michele Petitto
Felipe A. Murati
Rosa V. Pirela, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Carlos A. Chavez
Winston Lee, Columbia University
Lama A. Al-Aswad, New York University School of Medicine
Rando Allikmets, Columbia University
C. Gustavo De Moraes, Columbia University
Matthew P. Johnson, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Joseph D. Terwilliger
Joseph H. Lee, Columbia University
John Blangero, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2021

Abstract

Purpose: The burden of glaucoma disease among Hispanics is significantly higher than in their white counterparts. It remains unclear to what extent these differences are determined by genetic factors in Hispanics. We therefore examined a highly inbred family population-based cohort in Venezuela to estimate the proportion of genetic contribution of ocular traits relevant to glaucoma disease.

Methods: A subset of 67 participants ≥40y from the Maracaibo Aging Study (MAS) with family pedigree were randomly included. The papillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular thickness were measured with Spectralis Domain-OCT. Heritability analyses (h², expressed as %) were performed using the variance components approach as implemented in the software package Sequential Oligogenic Linkage Analysis Routines. A likelihood ratio test was used to test whether the heritability of a given phenotype was significantly (P

Results: Heritability estimates were significant for 13 out of 62 ocular traits analyzed. Total RNFL thickness (h²=0.79, P=0.007 for right eye and h²=0.72, P=0.026 for left eye), as well as thickness of the right eye superior (h²=0.60, P2=0.82, P2=0.86, P2=0.71; P

Conclusions: Several heritability estimates were in the moderate to high range, suggesting this highly inbred cohort may provide insight into the molecular basis of the intermediate ocular traits, which in turn may explain underlying causes of glaucoma.

Recommended Citation

Gomez, Aaron T.; Maestre, Gladys E.; Melgarejo, Jesus D.; Diego, Vincent P.; Blackburn, Nicholas B.; Yepez, Juan B.; Petitto, Michele; Murati, Felipe A.; Pirela, Rosa V.; Chavez, Carlos A.; Lee, Winston; Al-Aswad, Lama A.; Allikmets, Rando; De Moraes, C. Gustavo; Johnson, Matthew P.; Terwilliger, Joseph D.; Lee, Joseph H.; and Blangero, John, "Heritability of Ocular Traits in Hispanics" (2021). MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years. 37.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/som9331/37

Academic Level

medical student

Mentor/PI Department

Neuroscience