Expressive

rs10772380 (PRH1/PRR4): Food Liking and Gene Expression

Key takeaways

  • rs10772380 sits near PRH1 and PRR4, genes encoding salivary proline-rich proteins connected to taste and oral sensation
  • This variant was among 1,401 genome-wide significant hits in a food-liking study of over 161,000 people
  • The alternative allele reduces expression of PRR4 in tibial nerve, skeletal muscle, and thyroid tissue
  • The alternative allele also reduces expression of LINC01252 in five tissues, including thyroid and visceral adipose
  • Food liking shows roughly twice the heritability of food consumption, suggesting preference and intake have partly different genetic roots

Key takeaways

  • rs10772380 sits near PRH1 and PRR4, genes encoding salivary proline-rich proteins connected to taste and oral sensation
  • This variant was among 1,401 genome-wide significant hits in a food-liking study of over 161,000 people
  • The alternative allele reduces expression of PRR4 in tibial nerve, skeletal muscle, and thyroid tissue
  • The alternative allele also reduces expression of LINC01252 in five tissues, including thyroid and visceral adipose
  • Food liking shows roughly twice the heritability of food consumption, suggesting preference and intake have partly different genetic roots

What the research says rs10772380 falls near PRH1 and PRR4 (proline-rich salivary protein genes), both implicated in a genome-wide association study of food liking in 161,625 UK Biobank participants (May-Wilson et al., 2022). That study found 1,401 significant genetic associations, replicated in up to 26,154 individuals across 11 independent cohorts, and reported that food-liking heritability is approximately twice that of food consumption. Three main genetic dimensions of food preference emerged: "Highly-palatable", "Acquired", and "Low-caloric", with the Highly-palatable dimension showing genetic independence from the other two.

Reported associations

  • Food liking: The locus was identified among 1,401 genome-wide significant hits in a large GWAS of food preferences in UK Biobank participants; specific per-variant effect sizes for rs10772380 are not detailed in the available study text
  • PRR4 expression: the alternative allele is linked to reduced PRR4 expression in tibial nerve, skeletal muscle, and thyroid GTEx Portal
  • LINC01252 expression: the alternative allele is linked to reduced LINC01252 expression in thyroid, visceral adipose (omentum), tibial nerve, lung, and esophageal muscularis GTEx Portal

Evidence quality The food-liking GWAS (May-Wilson et al., 2022) drew on a large discovery cohort of 161,625 UK Biobank participants and replicated findings across 11 independent cohorts totaling up to 26,154 individuals, supporting the robustness of the overall study design. The specific contribution of this variant to particular food-liking categories is not reported in the available study excerpt, leaving per-variant effect sizes for this locus uncertain. GTEx eQTL data (GTEx v11, 953 donors, FDR < 0.05) provide statistically robust evidence for the expression associations with PRR4 and LINC01252, but eQTL signals reflect gene regulation mechanisms rather than functional or clinical outcomes. No conflicting findings are reported in the provided sources.

Tissue-specific expression effects

  • PRR4: the alternative allele is linked to reduced expression in tibial nerve, skeletal muscle, and thyroid GTEx Portal
  • LINC01252: the alternative allele is linked to reduced expression in thyroid, visceral adipose (omentum), tibial nerve, lung, and esophageal muscularis GTEx Portal

Lifestyle considerations No lifestyle considerations on file for this variant.

Frequently asked questions

What do the PRH1 and PRR4 genes do?

PRH1 and PRR4 encode salivary proline-rich proteins found in saliva. These proteins are connected to oral sensation and taste, which may help explain why genetic variation near these genes has been linked to food-liking differences in large population studies.

What is rs10772380 associated with?

rs10772380 is located near the PRH1 and PRR4 genes and was identified in a large genome-wide association study of food liking involving over 161,000 people. The variant is also associated with reduced expression of PRR4 and LINC01252 in several tissues including thyroid, nerve, and muscle.

Does rs10772380 affect what foods a person likes?

This variant appeared in a large study mapping the genetics of food preferences. However, the specific foods or food categories affected by this individual variant are not detailed in the available research, and genetics is only one of many factors that shape food preferences.

Which tissues are affected by rs10772380 according to GTEx data?

GTEx data show the alternative allele at rs10772380 is linked to reduced expression of PRR4 in tibial nerve, skeletal muscle, and thyroid. It is also linked to reduced expression of LINC01252 in thyroid, visceral adipose tissue, tibial nerve, lung, and esophageal muscularis.

How strong is the evidence linking rs10772380 to food liking?

The underlying GWAS had over 161,000 participants with replication in 11 independent cohorts, which is a methodologically robust design. However, the specific effect size of this individual variant on any particular food preference is not reported in the available study text, so the per-locus contribution remains to be characterized in detail.