Jinying Zhao

Publications (2)14.39 Total impact

• Article: Joint Associations of 61 Genetic Variants in the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Genes with Subclinical Atherosclerosis in American Indians: A Gene-Family Analysis.

  Jingyun Yang, Yun Zhu, Elisa T Lee, Ying Zhang, Shelley A Cole, Karin Haack, Lyle G Best, Richard B Devereux, Mary J Roman, Barbara V Howard, Jinying Zhao
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  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: -Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in all American populations including American Indians. Genetic factors play an important role in the etiology of atherosclerosis. While a single SNP may explain only a small portion of variability in disease, the joint effect of multiple variants in a pathway on disease susceptibility could be large. METHODS AND RESULTS: -Using a gene-family analysis, we investigated the joint associations of 61 tag SNPs in seven nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) genes with subclinical atherosclerosis, as measured by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque score, in 3,665 American Indians from 94 families recruited by the Strong Heart Family Study (SHFS). Although multiple SNPs showed marginal association with IMT and/or plaque score individually, only a few survived adjustments for multiple testing. However, simultaneously modeling of the joint effect of all 61 SNPs in seven nAChRs genes revealed significant association of the nAChR gene family with both IMT and plaque score, independent of known coronary risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: -Genetic variants in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors gene family jointly contribute to subclinical atherosclerosis in American Indians participated in the SHFS. These variants may influence the susceptibility of atherosclerosis through pathways other than cigarette smoking per se.
  Circulation Cardiovascular Genetics 12/2012; · 6.11 Impact Factor
• Article: A gene-family analysis of 61 genetic variants in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor genes for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes in American Indians.

  Jingyun Yang, Yun Zhu, Shelley A Cole, Karin Haack, Ying Zhang, Laura A Beebe, Barbara V Howard, Lyle G Best, Richard B Devereux, Jeffrey A Henderson, Patricia Henderson, Elisa T Lee, Jinying Zhao
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  ABSTRACT: Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Genetic variants in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) genes have been associated with smoking phenotypes and are likely to influence diabetes. Although each single variant may have only a minor effect, the joint contribution of multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to the occurrence of disease may be larger. In this study, we conducted a gene-family analysis to investigate the joint impact of 61 tag SNPs in 7 nAChRs genes on insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes in 3,665 American Indians recruited by the Strong Heart Family Study. Results show that although multiple SNPs showed marginal individual association with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, only a few can pass adjustment for multiple testing. However, a gene-family analysis considering the joint impact of all 61 SNPs reveals significant association of the nAChR gene family with both insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (both P < 0.0001), suggesting that genetic variants in the nAChR genes jointly contribute to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes among American Indians. The effects of these genetic variants on insulin resistance and diabetes are independent of cigarette smoking per se.
  Diabetes 05/2012; 61(7):1888-94. · 8.29 Impact Factor