Genotype-by-Environment Interactions in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Chronic Illness among Mexican Americans: The Role of Acculturation Stress

Authors

Eron Manusov, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Vincent Diego, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Marcio Almeida, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
David Ortiz, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Joanne E. Curran, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Jacob Galan, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Ana C. Leandro, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Sandra Laston, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
John Blangero, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Sarah Williams-Blangero, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-1-2024

Abstract

This study examines the complex interplay of genetic and environmental interactions that shape chronic illness risk. Evidence is mounting for the role of genetic expression and the immune response in the pathogenesis of chronic disease. In the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, where 90% of the population is Mexican American, chronic illnesses (including obesity, diabetes, nonalcoholic liver disease, and depression) are reaching epidemic proportions. This study leverages an ongoing family study of the genetic determinants of risk for obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and depression in a Mexican American population. Data collected included blood pressure, BMI, hepatic transaminases, HbA1c, depression (BDI-II), acculturation/marginalization (ARSMA-II), and liver health as assessed by elastography. Heritability and genotype-by-environment (G×E) interactions were analyzed, focusing on the marginalization/separation measure of the ARSMA-II. Significant heritabilities were found for traits such as HbA1c (h2 = 0.52), marginalization (h2 = 0.30), AST (h2 = 0.25), ALT (h2 = 0.41), and BMI (h2 = 0.55). Genotype-by-environment interactions were significant for HbA1c, AST/ALT ratio, BDI-II, and CAP, indicating that genetic factors interact with marginalization to influence these traits. This study found that acculturation stress exacerbates the genetic response to chronic illness. These findings underscore the importance of considering G×E interactions in understanding disease susceptibility and may inform targeted interventions for at-risk populations. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying molecular pathways and replicate these findings in diverse populations.

Comments

© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Recommended Citation

Manusov, E. G., Diego, V. P., Almeida, M., Ortiz, D., Curran, J. E., Galan, J., ... & Williams-Blangero, S. (2024). Genotype-by-Environment Interactions in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Chronic Illness among Mexican Americans: The Role of Acculturation Stress. Genes, 15(8), 1006. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15081006

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Publication Title

Genes

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15081006

Academic Level

faculty

Mentor/PI Department

Office of Human Genetics