Abstract
Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) indicates average glucose levels over three months and is associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Longitudinal changes in HbA1c (ΔHbA1c) are also associated with aging processes, cognitive performance, and mortality. We analyzed ΔHbA1c in 1,886 non-diabetic Europeans from the Long Life Family Study to uncover gene variants influencing ΔHbA1c. Using growth curve modeling adjusted for multiple covariates, we derived ΔHbA1c and conducted linkage-guided sequence analysis. Our genome-wide linkage scan identified a significant locus on 17p12. In-depth analysis of this locus revealed a variant rs56340929 (explaining 27% of the linkage peak) in the ARHGAP44 gene that was significantly associated with ΔHbA1c. RNA transcription of ARHGAP44 was associated with ΔHbA1c. The Framingham Offspring Study data further supported these findings on the gene level. Together, we found a novel gene ARHGAP44 for ΔHbA1c in family members without T2D. Follow-up studies using longitudinal omics data in large independent cohorts are warranted.