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OTTERS: a powerful TWAS framework leveraging summary-level reference data

Nature Communications, vol. 14, pp. 1271

Abstract

Most existing TWAS tools require individual-level eQTL reference data and thus are not applicable to summary-level reference eQTL datasets. The development of TWAS methods that can harness summary-level reference data is valuable to enable TWAS in broader settings and enhance power due to increased reference sample size. Thus, we develop a TWAS framework called OTTERS (Omnibus Transcriptome Test using Expression Reference Summary data) that adapts multiple polygenic risk score (PRS) methods to estimate eQTL weights from summary-level eQTL reference data and conducts an omnibus TWAS. We show that OTTERS is a practical and powerful TWAS tool by both simulations and application studies.

Authors 85

  1. Emory University

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

    Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

  2. Yale University

    Affiliation as printed

    Program of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA

  3. Yale University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Program of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA

  4. University of Tartu

    Affiliation as printed

    Estonian Genome Centre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 50090, Tartu, Estonia

  5. University Medical Center Groningen · University of Groningen · Oncode Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Oncode Institute, 3521 AL, Utrecht, The Netherlands

  6. Johns Hopkins University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Computer Science, and Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA

  7. Universitätsmedizin Greifswald · Universität Greifswald

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, 17489, Greifswald, Germany

  8. Tampere University · Fimlab (Finland) · University of Tampere

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories and Finnish Centre for Cardiovascular Disease Tampere, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33520, Finland

  9. University of Turku · Turku University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, 20520, Turku, Finland

    Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital, 20521, Turku, Finland

    Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, 20520, Turku, Finland

  10. University of Tartu

    Affiliation as printed

    Estonian Genome Centre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 50090, Tartu, Estonia

  11. Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Computational Biology, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada

  12. University of Chicago

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

  13. Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Computational Biology, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada

  14. Agency for Science, Technology and Research · Singapore Immunology Network

    Affiliation as printed

    Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore

  15. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

  16. Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Computational Biology, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada

  17. Leipzig University

    Affiliation as printed

    Heart Center Leipzig, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

  18. University Medical Center Groningen · University of Groningen · European Molecular Biology Laboratory

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands

    European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany

  19. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  20. University of Washington

    Affiliation as printed

    Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

  21. University Medical Center Groningen · University of Groningen · Oncode Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Oncode Institute, 3521 AL, Utrecht, The Netherlands

  22. University Medical Center Groningen · University of Groningen · University Medical Center Utrecht · Oncode Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Genetics, University Medical Centre Utrecht, P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Genomics Coordination Center, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Oncode Institute, 3521 AL, Utrecht, The Netherlands

  23. Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Computational Biology, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada

  24. University of Exeter · Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital · Exeter Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Genetics of Complex Traits, University of Exeter Medical School, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter, UK

  25. University of Washington

    Affiliation as printed

    Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

  26. Georgia Institute of Technology

    Affiliation as printed

    School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA, USA

  27. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

  28. University of Bristol · MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit

    Affiliation as printed

    MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

  29. Amsterdam University Medical Centers · Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  30. Tampere University · Tampere University Hospital · University of Tampere

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland

  31. University of Tartu

    Affiliation as printed

    Estonian Genome Centre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 50090, Tartu, Estonia

  32. University of Tartu

    Affiliation as printed

    Estonian Genome Centre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 50090, Tartu, Estonia

  33. University of Helsinki

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

  34. Johns Hopkins University · Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Computer Science, and Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA

    Genetics and Genomic Science Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

  35. Leipzig University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institut für Medizinische InformatiK, Statistik und Epidemiologie, LIFE – Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

  36. IFB Adiposity Diseases · Leipzig University

    Affiliation as printed

    IFB Adiposity Diseases, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

  37. Leipzig University

    Affiliation as printed

    Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

  38. University of Tartu

    Affiliation as printed

    Estonian Genome Centre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 50090, Tartu, Estonia

  39. University of Tartu

    Affiliation as printed

    Estonian Genome Centre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 50090, Tartu, Estonia

  40. Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois

    Affiliation as printed

    Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland

  41. Agency for Science, Technology and Research · Singapore Immunology Network

    Affiliation as printed

    Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore

  42. Leipzig University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institut für Medizinische InformatiK, Statistik und Epidemiologie, LIFE – Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

  43. Ikerbasque · Georgia Institute of Technology · Euskadiko Parke Teknologikoa · CIC bioGUNE

    Affiliation as printed

    IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain

    Integrative Genomics Lab, CIC bioGUNE, Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, Derio, Bizkaia, Basque Country, Spain

    School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA, USA

  44. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

  45. University of Tartu

    Affiliation as printed

    Estonian Genome Centre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 50090, Tartu, Estonia

  46. The University of Queensland · Institute for Molecular Bioscience

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

  47. Helmholtz Munich · German Centre for Cardiovascular Research · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

    Affiliation as printed

    DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany

    Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig Maximilian’s University, München, Germany

    Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany

    Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig Maximilian's University, München, Germany

  48. Universitätsmedizin Greifswald · German Centre for Cardiovascular Research

    Affiliation as printed

    German Center for Cardiovascular Research (partner site Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany

    Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Greifswald University Hospital, Greifswald, Germany

  49. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biological Psychology, Faculty of Behaviour and Movement Sciences, VU, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  50. Amsterdam University Medical Centers · Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  51. University of Helsinki

    Affiliation as printed

    National Institute for Health and Welfare, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

  52. University of Tartu

    Affiliation as printed

    Estonian Genome Centre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, 50090, Tartu, Estonia

  53. University of Chicago

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

  54. Garvan Institute of Medical Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Garvan-Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Sydney, NSW, Australia

  55. Helmholtz Munich · Institut für Humangenetik · Technical University of Munich

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany

    Institute of Neurogenomics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany

  56. Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute · University of Washington

    Affiliation as printed

    Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA

  57. University of Helsinki

    Affiliation as printed

    Statistical and Translational Genetics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

  58. Agency for Science, Technology and Research · Singapore Immunology Network

    Affiliation as printed

    Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore

  59. Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois

    Affiliation as printed

    Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland

  60. Johns Hopkins University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Computer Science, and Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA

  61. Leipzig University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institut für Medizinische InformatiK, Statistik und Epidemiologie, LIFE – Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

  62. Helmholtz Munich · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig Maximilian’s University, München, Germany

    Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany

    Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig Maximilian's University, München, Germany

  63. Tampere University · Fimlab (Finland) · University of Tampere

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories and Finnish Centre for Cardiovascular Disease Tampere, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33520, Finland

  64. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

  65. Maastricht University Medical Centre · Maastricht University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Internal Medicine and School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands

  66. Leipzig University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

  67. Karolinska Institutet

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

  68. Radboud University Nijmegen · Radboud University Medical Center · Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

  69. Leipzig University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Laboratory Medicine, LIFE – Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

  70. University of Chicago

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

  71. German Centre for Cardiovascular Research

    Affiliation as printed

    German Center for Cardiovascular Research (partner site Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany

  72. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  73. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

  74. Erasmus MC

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

  75. Utrecht University · University Medical Center Utrecht

    Affiliation as printed

    UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Neurology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

  76. Erasmus MC

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

  77. The University of Queensland · Institute for Molecular Bioscience

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

  78. Universitätsmedizin Greifswald · Universität Greifswald

    Affiliation as printed

    Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

  79. University Medical Center Groningen · University of Groningen · Oncode Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Oncode Institute, 3521 AL, Utrecht, The Netherlands

  80. University Medical Center Groningen · University of Groningen

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands

  81. Luleå University of Technology · University of Exeter · Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital · Exeter Hospital · University of Westminster

    Affiliation as printed

    Division of Medical Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden

    Genetics of Complex Traits, University of Exeter Medical School, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter, UK

    School of Life Sciences, College of Liberal Arts and Science, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, UK

  82. Jian Yang corresponding

    Emory University · The University of Queensland · Institute for Molecular Bioscience

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA. jingjing.yang@emory.edu

    Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

  83. Emory University · The University of Queensland · Institute for Molecular Bioscience

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

  84. Michael P. Epstein corresponding

    Emory University

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA. mpepste@emory.edu

    Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

  85. Jingjing Yang corresponding

    Emory University

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Computational and Quantitative Genetics, Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA. jingjing.yang@emory.edu

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References 61