Two conservative variations of trans-eQTL analysis were also performed. One approach involved the use of human interactome data. Specifically, information from the Human Protein Reference Database and Biological General Repository for Interaction Datasets was combined in a single set of binary proteinprotein interactions. Associative analysis was performed between SNPs located in the genomic regions of genes and the expression measurements of their interacting partners. The underlying hypothesis of this inquiry was that polymorphic sites in genes may result in altered protein structure, protein stability, or isoform ratio and thereby have no immediate effect on the expression of those genes but rather on their downstream pathway interactors. Raw P values were corrected for multiple testing by the FDR method.
