Drs. Yang Chen and Kesheng Wang Publish in Journal of Psychiatric Research

Dr. Yang Chen, 2016 alumnus of the doctoral program in Epidemiology within the ETSU College of Public Health, has authored an article in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.  Dr. Kesheng Wang, Associate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, is a co-author along with Drs. Chun Xu of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Sam Harirforoosh in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Xingguang Luo of the Yale University School of Medicine.

The article, “Analysis of PTPRK polymorphisms in association with the risk and age at onset of Alzheimer's disease, cancer risk, and cholesterol” discusses genetic variants associated with the risk and age at onset of Alzheimer’s disease by using a case-control sample, followed by a replication using a family-based study design. In addition, a third sample was used to examine the associations with risk of cancer, low density lipoprotein-, and total cholesterol levels.

Alzheimer’s disease, as the most common type of dementia, is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. In 2013, approximately 5 million Americans aged 65 years or older were living with the disease.  This number is projected to rise to 13.8 million, a nearly three-fold increase, by 2050. In 2010, the costs associated with Alzheimer’s disease were projected to fall between $159 and $215 billion; whereas these costs are estimated to be between $379 and more than $500 billion annually by 2040. Previous epidemiological studies have shown that cancers are comorbid with Alzheimer’s disease and cholesterol levels are associated with dementia.

The researchers evaluated the role of the gene PTPRK in risk and age at onset of Alzheimer's disease, cancer risk, and cholesterol. To their knowledge, no study has previously examined this relationship. This study investigated the association of genetic variants in the PTPRK with the risk and age at onset of Alzheimer’s disease in 791 patients and 782 controls and found five variants with the risk of the disease and six variants with age at onset. In a replication study, a family-based association study identified seven genetic variants associated with the risk of the disease and 12 variants associated with age at onset. One additional sample showed that four variants were associated with risk of cancer, 12 variants associated with low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and 8 variants associated with total cholesterol. In addition, functional study using RNA sequencing revealed that some genetic variants within the gene were associated with levels of gene expression in human brain. The findings suggest that a potential role of PTPRK in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and cholesterol metabolism and joint intervention for treatment of the disease, cancer and cholesterol.

Founded in 1961 to report on the latest work in psychiatry and cognate disciplines, the Journal of Psychiatric Research is dedicated to innovative and timely psychiatric studies such as clinical studies that relate to human behavior as well psychiatric illness, including genetics, biochemical, environmental and epidemiological factors.