Integrative Gene Regulatory Network Analysis Discloses Key Driver Genes of Fibromuscular Dysplasia. Integrative Gene Regulatory Network Analysis Discloses Key Driver Genes of Fibromuscular Dysplasia

Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a poorly understood vascular disease that can lead to hypertension, stroke, myocardial infarction and even death. In 2013 we initiated the DEFINE study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01967511), which has now recruited > 440 subjects and which aims to unravel the pathobiological mechanisms of this disease. Here, by integrating DNA genotype and RNA sequence data from primary fibroblasts of 83 FMD patients and 71 matched healthy controls from the DEFINE study, and its precursor the CAUSE study, we inferred 18 gene regulatory co-expression networks, four of which were found to act together as an FMD-associated super network in the arterial wall. Molecular studies indicated that this super network, termed SN-A and with the top key driver gene UBR4,... (for more see dbGaP study page.)