Application of GWAS and QTL combined analysis in the genetic pathogenic mechanism underlying age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) seriously endangers the visual health of the elderly, and its incidence rate is on the rise in recent years.As the aging of the population intensifies, the incidence rate of AMD will continue to rise.Therefore, it is crucial to explore its genetic pathogenic mechanism.Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with AMD.However, most of these polymorphisms are located in noncoding regions, and their functions are unclear.Therefore, revealing the regulatory effects of the genetic variations on gene expression, protein levels, and metabolite abundance serves as a powerful tool for deciphering the functions of noncoding variations discovered in GWAS.Furthermore, combining quantitative trait loci (QTLs) with GWAS can effectively explain GWAS data and increase the likelihood of discovering statistically significant genetic variation loci.This review summarizes research on the analysis and integration of GWAS combined with QTL data, aiming to better understand the impact of gene variations on the occurrence and development of AMD, thereby providing new ideas for searching for effective therapeutic targets for AMD.

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