Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33436952›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2021

Impact of low-frequency coding variants on human facial shape.

Dongjing Liu, Nora Alhazmi, Harold Matthews, Myoung Keun Lee, Jiarui Li, Jacqueline T Hecht, George L Wehby, Lina M Moreno, Carrie L Heike, Jasmien Roosenboom and 6 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 39% of its field
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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Rare missense variants inFrontiers in genetics · 2026
    Article
  2. [Application of HIrisPlex-S System in Forensic DNA Phenotyping].Sichuan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Sichuan University. Medical science edition · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
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  6. 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

16 authors at 8 institutions in 3 countries.

Dongjing LiuDepartment of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Nora AlhazmiDepartment of Oral Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
Harold MatthewsDepartment of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Myoung Keun LeeCenter for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Jiarui LiDepartment of Electrical Engineering, ESAT/PSI, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Jacqueline T HechtDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Texas McGovern Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA.
George L WehbyDepartment of Health Management and Policy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Lina M MorenoDepartment of Orthodontics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Carrie L HeikeDepartment of Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Craniofacial Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Jasmien RoosenboomCenter for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Eleanor FeingoldDepartment of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Mary L MarazitaDepartment of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Peter ClaesDepartment of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Eric C LiaoDepartment of Surgery, Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Seth M WeinbergDepartment of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. smwst46@pitt.edu.
John R ShafferDepartment of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. john.r.shaffer@pitt.edu.
University of Pittsburgh · USKU Leuven · BEUniversity of Iowa · USKing Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences · SAMassachusetts General Hospital · USThe University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston · USUniversitair Ziekenhuis Leuven · BEUniversity of Washington · US

Funding

Extending the Phenotype of Nonsyndromic Orofacial CleftsR01DE016148 · NIDCR · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI MARAZITA, MARY L., WEINBERG, SETH M · 2004 to 2018
$19.7M
The Genetic Architecture of Human Facial MorphologyR01DE027023 · NIDCR · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI CLAES, PETER, SHAFFER, JOHN R · 2017 to 2024
$5.2M
3D Analysis of Normal Facial Variation: Data Repository and Genetics (Research)U01DE020078 · NIDCR · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI MARAZITA, MARY L., WEINBERG, SETH M · 2009 to 2013
$2.0M
NHLBI NIH HHS HHSN268201200008CNHLBI NIH HHS HHSN268201200008INIDCR NIH HHS R01 DE016148NIDCR NIH HHS R01 DE027023NIDCR NIH HHS R01-DE027023NIDCR NIH HHS U01 DE020078NIDCR NIH HHS X01-HG007821
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The contribution of low-frequency variants to the genetic architecture of normal-range facial traits is unknown. We studied the influence of low-frequency coding variants (MAF < 1%) in 8091 genes on multi-dimensional facial shape phenotypes in a European cohort of 2329 healthy individuals. Using three-dimensional images, we partitioned the full face into 31 hierarchically arranged segments to model facial morphology at multiple levels, and generated multi-dimensional phenotypes representing the shape variation within each segment. We used MultiSKAT, a multivariate kernel regression approach to scan the exome for face-associated low-frequency variants in a gene-based manner. After accounting for multiple tests, seven genes (AR, CARS2, FTSJ1, HFE, LTB4R, TELO2, NECTIN1) were significantly associated with shape variation of the cheek, chin, nose and mouth areas. These genes displayed a wide range of phenotypic effects, with some impacting the full face and others affecting localized regions. The missense variant rs142863092 in NECTIN1 had a significant effect on chin morphology and was predicted bioinformatically to have a deleterious effect on protein function. Notably, NECTIN1 is an established craniofacial gene that underlies a human syndrome that includes a mandibular phenotype. We further showed that nectin1a mutations can affect zebrafish craniofacial development, with the size and shape of the mandibular cartilage altered in mutant animals. Findings from this study expanded our understanding of the genetic basis of normal-range facial shape by highlighting the role of low-frequency coding variants in several novel genes.

Indexed as

PhenotypePolymorphism, Single NucleotideAdolescentAdultAnimalsChildChild, PreschoolFaceGenome-Wide Association StudyGenotypeHumansNectinsWhite PeopleYoung AdultZebrafishNECTIN1 protein, humanNectins

Identifiers

PMID33436952
PMCPMC7804299
OpenAlexW3118850632

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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 OpenQuestion graph.