The long and winding road from correlation to causation

Nat Genet. 2011 Mar;43(3):180-1. doi: 10.1038/ng0311-180.

Abstract

Follow-up studies of a Crohn's disease risk locus encompassing IRGM have revealed unexpected complexity. A new study shows that a synonymous variant in the IRGM coding region alters a binding site for miR-196 and modulates IRGM-dependent autophagy, adding to the list of possible mechanisms by which this locus influences disease risk.

Publication types

  • Comment
  • News
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autophagy / genetics
  • Crohn Disease / genetics*
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs*
  • Risk

Substances

  • MIRN196 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • IRGM protein, human