PLINK breed data showing SLAMF1 is associated with canine atopic dermatitis

Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is a common inflammatory skin condition in
dogs. It is a life-long problem which poses a significant welfare issue
due to the chronic skin discomfort and pruritus (itch) experienced.
Excessive scratching, licking and chewing cause self-trauma to the skin
and increased risk of secondary infections. Several breeds are predisposed
including the Labrador Retriever, Boxer and French Bulldog, suggesting a
genetic component to the condition. Our access to a sizeable population of
dogs genotyped on a medium density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)
array along with linked clinical record information allows for large-scale
and highly powered genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis. In this
study, over 28 thousand dogs were used to look for genetic changes
associated with CAD. We identified a statistically significant signal on
canine chromosome 38, with a particularly strong association in the French
Bulldog breed. Genome resequencing revealed a provocative splice donor
variant in SLAMF1 (Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule 1), an immune
system associated gene. Analysis of further genome sequences and RNA
samples from the Mars Petcare Biobank confirmed the SLAMF1 variant as a
strong candidate for causing an increased risk of atopic
dermatitis.