Full Length ArticleGenome-wide association study in East Asians suggests UHMK1 as a novel bone mineral density susceptibility gene

•A genetic variant near UHNK1 gene was discovered as a novel BMD locus by East Asian GWAS.•The UHMK1 variant was very rare in Caucasians indicating that this association could be specific to East Asians.•UHMK1 knockdown decreased osteoblast differentiation, while UHMK1 overexpression increased osteoblast differentiation.•UHMK1 knockdown increased osteoclast differentiation, while UHMK1 overexpression decreased osteoclast differentiation.

To identify genetic variants that influence bone mineral density (BMD) in East Asians, we performed a quantitative trait analysis of lumbar spine, total hip and femoral neck BMD in a Korean population-based cohort (N = 2729) and follow-up replication analysis in a Chinese Han population and two Caucasian populations (N = 1547, 2250 and 987, respectively). From the meta-analysis of the stage 1 discovery analysis and stage 2 replication analysis, we identified four BMD loci that reached near-genome-wide significance level (P < 5 × 10− 7). One locus on 1q23 (UHMK1, rs16863247, P = 4.1 × 10− 7 for femoral neck BMD and P = 3.2 × 10− 6 for total hip BMD) was a novel BMD signal. Interestingly, rs16863247 was very rare in Caucasians (minor allele frequency < 0.01), indicating that this association could be specific to East Asians. In gender specific analysis, rs1160574 on 1q32 (KCNH1) was associated with femoral neck BMD (P = 2.1 × 10− 7) in female subjects. rs9371538 in the known BMD region on 6q25 ESR1 was associated with lumbar spine BMD (P = 5.6 × 10− 9). rs7776725 in the known BMD region on 7q31 WTN16 was associated with total hip BMD (P = 8.6 × 10− 9). In osteoblasts, endogenous UHMK1 expression was increased during differentiation and UHMK1 knockdown decreased its differentiation, while UHMK1 overexpression increased its differentiation. In osteoclasts, endogenous UHMK1 expression was decreased during differentiation and UHMK1 knockdown increased its differentiation, while UHMK1 overexpression decreased its differentiation. In conclusion, our genome-wide association study identified the UHMK1 gene as a novel BMD locus specific to East Asians. Functional studies suggest a role of UHMK1 on regulation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts.