Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40514331›Full record

ArticleAnnals of the rheumatic diseases2025

Integrative exome sequencing and machine learning identify MICB and interferon pathway genes as contributors to SSc risk.

Shamika Ketkar, Hongzheng Dai, Lindsay Burrage, David Murdock, Brian Dawson, Marialbert Acosta-Herrera, Martin Kerick, Javier Martin, Kevin Wilhelm, Jennifer Kay Asmussen and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of the rheumatic diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Shamika KetkarDepartment of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Hongzheng DaiDepartment of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Lindsay BurrageDepartment of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
David MurdockDepartment of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston, TX, USA.
Brian DawsonDepartment of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Marialbert Acosta-HerreraInstitute of Parasitology and Biomedicine López-Neyra, CSIC, Granada, Spain.
Martin KerickInstitute of Parasitology and Biomedicine López-Neyra, CSIC, Granada, Spain.
Javier MartinInstitute of Parasitology and Biomedicine López-Neyra, CSIC, Granada, Spain.
Kevin WilhelmComputational and Integrative Biomedical Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Jennifer Kay AsmussenComputational and Integrative Biomedical Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Olivier LichtargeComputational and Integrative Biomedical Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Regeneron Genetics CenterRegeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Tarrytown, NY, USA.
Shervin AssassiDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston, TX, USA.
Maureen D MayesDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston, TX, USA.
Brendan H LeeDepartment of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: blee@bcm.edu.

Funding

U OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON CENTER FOR CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCESUL1RR024148 · NCRR · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI MCPHERSON, DAVID D · 2006 to 2010
$27.9M
Role of TGF-beta and CTGF Signaling Transgenic Mouse Models of SclerodermaP50AR054144 · NIAMS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI CROMBRUGGHE, BENOIT DE · 2006 to 2010
$7.7M
Transgenic animal models for fibrotic diseaseP50AR044888 · NIAMS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI ARNETT, FRANK C · 1997 to 2005
$6.6M
Decoding the impact of sex differences on Alzheimer's disease riskR01AG074009 · NIA · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI AL-RAMAHI, ISMAEL, LICHTARGE, OLIVIER · 2021 to 2025
$6.0M
Two-Stage Genome-Wide Association Study in Systemic SclerosisR01AR055258 · NIAMS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI MAYES, MAUREEN MAUREEN · 2008 to 2012
$5.9M
Cognitive Computing of Alzheimer's Disease Genes and RiskU01AG068214 · NIA · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · PI LICHTARGE, OLIVIER · 2021 to 2025
$4.4M
Training Interdisciplinary Pharmacology Scientists (TIPS)T32GM139801 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI Carmen W. Dessauer · 2021 to 2026
$1.5M
SCLERODERMA FAMILY REGISTRY AND DNA REPOSITORY-264002251-264002251-264002251N01AR002251 · NIAMS · WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY · PI MAYES, MAUREEN · 2000 to 2006
$659k
NCRR NIH HHS UL1 RR024148NIAMS NIH HHS N01 AR002251NIAMS NIH HHS P50 AR044888NIAMS NIH HHS P50 AR054144NIAMS NIH HHS R01 AR055258NIA NIH HHS R01 AG074009NIA NIH HHS U01 AG068214NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM139801
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesSystemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disease with both known and unidentified genetic contributors. While genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have implicated multiple loci, many reside in noncoding regions. We aimed to identify novel protein-coding variants and pathogenic pathways using exome sequencing (ES) integrated with an Evolutionary Action-Machine Learning (EAML) framework, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), and expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis.

methodsGWAS was conducted in 2,559 SSc cases and 893 controls of Caucasian ancestry, with replication in 9,846 cases and 18,333 controls of European ancestry. EAML prioritized genes with high-impact missense variants predictive of disease. Public scRNA-seq data from SSc and control skin biopsies were analyzed to localize gene expression across cell types. Whole blood eQTL data were used to identify regulatory effects of risk variants.

resultsA novel SSc risk locus at MICB (rs2516497, P = 3.66 × 10

conclusionsThis integrative genomic study identifies novel risk loci and mechanistic pathways in SSc, highlighting MICB, NOTCH4, and interferon-related genes. The findings provide insight into the cellular and regulatory architecture of SSc and support the utility of combining ES, machine learning, scRNA-seq, and eQTL data in complex disease genetics.

Indexed as

InterferonsMachine LearningScleroderma, SystemicCase-Control StudiesExome SequencingFemaleGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMaleMiddle AgedPolymorphism, Single NucleotideQuantitative Trait LociSignal TransductionWhite PeopleInterferons

Identifiers

PMID40514331
PMCPMC12715722

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.