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PMID: 20303062 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

A variant in LIN28B is associated with 2D:4D finger-length ratio, a putative retrospective biomarker of prenatal testosterone exposure.

American journal of human genetics ·Vol. 86 ·No. 4 ·2010-04-09 ·Pages 519-25

Medland SE, Zayats T, Glaser B, Nyholt DR, Gordon SD, Wright MJ, Montgomery GW, Campbell MJ, Henders AK, Timpson NJ, Peltonen L, Wolke D, Ring SM, Deloukas P, Martin NG, Smith GD, Evans DM

Abstract

The ratio of the lengths of an individual's second to fourth digit (2D:4D) is commonly used as a noninvasive retrospective biomarker for prenatal androgen exposure. In order to identify the genetic determinants of 2D:4D, we applied a genome-wide association approach to 1507 11-year-old children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in whom 2D:4D ratio had been measured, as well as a sample of 1382 12- to 16-year-olds from the Brisbane Adolescent Twin Study. A meta-analysis of the two scans identified a single variant in the LIN28B gene that was strongly associated with 2D:4D (rs314277: p = 4.1 x 10(-8)) and was subsequently independently replicated in an additional 3659 children from the ALSPAC cohort (p = 1.53 x 10(-6)). The minor allele of the rs314277 variant has previously been linked to increased height and delayed age at menarche, but in our study it was associated with increased 2D:4D in the direction opposite to that of previous reports on the correlation between 2D:4D and age at menarche. Our findings call into question the validity of 2D:4D as a simplistic retrospective biomarker for prenatal testosterone exposure.

MeSH Terms
Adolescent Anthropometry Biomarkers Child Cohort Studies Female Fingers/anatomy & histology Genetic Variation Genotype Humans Longitudinal Studies Male Meta-Analysis as Topic Pregnancy Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/genetics RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics Testosterone/physiology Twin Studies as Topic
Chemicals
Biomarkers Lin28A protein, human RNA-Binding Proteins Testosterone
Authors & Affiliations
17 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Medland Sarah E
Genetic Epidemiology, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Australia.
Zayats Tetyana
Glaser Beate
Nyholt Dale R
Gordon Scott D
Wright Margaret J
Montgomery Grant W
Campbell Megan J
Henders Anjali K
Timpson Nicholas J
Peltonen Leena
Wolke Dieter
Ring Susan M
Deloukas Panos
Martin Nicholas G
Smith George Davey
Evans David M
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34 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
American journal of human genetics
Abbr.
Am J Hum Genet
ISSN
1537-6605
DOI
10.1016/j.ajhg.2010.02.017
Published
2010-04-09
Epub
2010-00-18
Pages
519-25
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
0370475
PMCID
PMC2850436
Subset
IM
Grants
Wellcome Trust · United Kingdom
Medical Research Council · G0600705 · United Kingdom
Medical Research Council · G0800582 · United Kingdom
Medical Research Council · 90600705 · United Kingdom
Medical Research Council · G9815508 · United Kingdom
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2010.02.017 PMC Full Text View journal details
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