Analysis abstract
Nature Genetics 39, 17 - 23 (2007)
doi:10.1038/ng1934
Systematic meta-analyses of Alzheimer disease genetic association studies: the AlzGene database
Lars Bertram1, Matthew B McQueen2,3, Kristina Mullin1, Deborah Blacker2,4 & Rudolph E Tanzi1
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed hundreds of reports declaring or refuting genetic association with putative Alzheimer disease susceptibility genes. This wealth of information has become increasingly difficult to follow, much less interpret. We have created a publicly available, continuously updated database that comprehensively catalogs all genetic association studies in the field of Alzheimer disease (http://www.alzgene.org). We performed systematic meta-analyses for each polymorphism with available genotype data in at least three case-control samples. In addition to identifying the 
4 allele of APOE and related effects, we pinpointed over a dozen potential Alzheimer disease susceptibility genes (ACE, CHRNB2, CST3, ESR1, GAPDHS, IDE, MTHFR, NCSTN, PRNP, PSEN1, TF, TFAM and TNF) with statistically significant allelic summary odds ratios (ranging from 1.11–1.38 for risk alleles and 0.92–0.67 for protective alleles). Our database provides a powerful tool for deciphering the genetics of Alzheimer disease, and it serves as a potential model for tracking the most viable gene candidates in other genetically complex diseases.
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease (MIND), Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115 USA.
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA.
- Gerontology Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, USA.
Correspondence to: Lars Bertram1 e-mail: bertram@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
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