Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Education influences the association between genetic variants and refractive error: a meta-analysis of five Singapore studies.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Fan, Q; Wojciechowski, R; Kamran Ikram, M; Cheng, C-Y; Chen, P; Zhou, X; Pan, C-W; Khor, C-C; Tai, E-S; Aung, T; Wong, T-Y; Teo, Y-Y; Saw, S-M
Published in: Hum Mol Genet
January 15, 2014

Refractive error is a complex ocular trait governed by both genetic and environmental factors and possibly their interplay. Thus far, data on the interaction between genetic variants and environmental risk factors for refractive errors are largely lacking. By using findings from recent genome-wide association studies, we investigated whether the main environmental factor, education, modifies the effect of 40 single nucleotide polymorphisms on refractive error among 8461 adults from five studies including ethnic Chinese, Malay and Indian residents of Singapore. Three genetic loci SHISA6-DNAH9, GJD2 and ZMAT4-SFRP1 exhibited a strong association with myopic refractive error in individuals with higher secondary or university education (SHISA6-DNAH9: rs2969180 A allele, β = -0.33 D, P = 3.6 × 10(-6); GJD2: rs524952 A allele, β = -0.31 D, P = 1.68 × 10(-5); ZMAT4-SFRP1: rs2137277 A allele, β = -0.47 D, P = 1.68 × 10(-4)), whereas the association at these loci was non-significant or of borderline significance in those with lower secondary education or below (P for interaction: 3.82 × 10(-3)-4.78 × 10(-4)). The evidence for interaction was strengthened when combining the genetic effects of these three loci (P for interaction = 4.40 × 10(-8)), and significant interactions with education were also observed for axial length and myopia. Our study shows that low level of education may attenuate the effect of risk alleles on myopia. These findings further underline the role of gene-environment interactions in the pathophysiology of myopia.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Hum Mol Genet

DOI

EISSN

1460-2083

Publication Date

January 15, 2014

Volume

23

Issue

2

Start / End Page

546 / 554

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Singapore
  • Risk Factors
  • Refractive Errors
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Humans
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Genetics & Heredity
  • Genetic Variation
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Fan, Q., Wojciechowski, R., Kamran Ikram, M., Cheng, C.-Y., Chen, P., Zhou, X., … Saw, S.-M. (2014). Education influences the association between genetic variants and refractive error: a meta-analysis of five Singapore studies. Hum Mol Genet, 23(2), 546–554. https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddt431
Fan, Qiao, Robert Wojciechowski, M. Kamran Ikram, Ching-Yu Cheng, Peng Chen, Xin Zhou, Chen-Wei Pan, et al. “Education influences the association between genetic variants and refractive error: a meta-analysis of five Singapore studies.Hum Mol Genet 23, no. 2 (January 15, 2014): 546–54. https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddt431.
Fan Q, Wojciechowski R, Kamran Ikram M, Cheng C-Y, Chen P, Zhou X, et al. Education influences the association between genetic variants and refractive error: a meta-analysis of five Singapore studies. Hum Mol Genet. 2014 Jan 15;23(2):546–54.
Fan, Qiao, et al. “Education influences the association between genetic variants and refractive error: a meta-analysis of five Singapore studies.Hum Mol Genet, vol. 23, no. 2, Jan. 2014, pp. 546–54. Pubmed, doi:10.1093/hmg/ddt431.
Fan Q, Wojciechowski R, Kamran Ikram M, Cheng C-Y, Chen P, Zhou X, Pan C-W, Khor C-C, Tai E-S, Aung T, Wong T-Y, Teo Y-Y, Saw S-M. Education influences the association between genetic variants and refractive error: a meta-analysis of five Singapore studies. Hum Mol Genet. 2014 Jan 15;23(2):546–554.
Journal cover image

Published In

Hum Mol Genet

DOI

EISSN

1460-2083

Publication Date

January 15, 2014

Volume

23

Issue

2

Start / End Page

546 / 554

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Singapore
  • Risk Factors
  • Refractive Errors
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Humans
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Genetics & Heredity
  • Genetic Variation