Rare loss-of-function variants in HECTD2 and AKAP11 confer a risk of bipolar disorder

Scientists at deCODE genetics, a subsidiary of Amgen, reveal today in Nature Genetics associations between rare loss-of-function variants in two genes and bipolar disorder.

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, March 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings, bouts of mania or hypomania, and episodes of depression.  It is a highly heritable and serious condition, that when untreated comes with a high suicide rate.  While there are several mood-stabilizing drugs available to treat the disorder, pharmaceutical treatment of bipolar disorder can have difficult side-effects and better treatments are urgently needed.

Significant progress has occurred over the last 15 years through genome-wide association studies leading to the identification of hundreds of biomarkers, i.e. DNA sequence variants, associated with the risk of psychiatric disease, including bipolar disorder.  These biomarkers represent common variations each carrying a small risk, but in confluence, they are beginning to account for a considerable part of the variance in psychiatric traits and disorders. Variants predicted to cause loss of function of genes tend to be rare but hold great promise for informing on the underlying biology.   

To harness the information contained in rare loss-of-function (LOF) variants, the scientists performed a variant burden analysis for bipolar disorder using gene-based aggregation of LOF variants in whole genome sequencing data from Iceland and the UK Biobank and using data from the Bipolar Exomes study (BipEx, www.bipex.broadinstitute.org/results) for replication and further meta-analysis efforts. The study revealed the association of LOF variants in two genes (HECTD2 and AKAP11) with bipolar disorder. Both associations with bipolar disorder are novel, but AKAP11 has previously been associated with psychosis and schizophrenia. 

AKAP11 encodes an anchoring protein, that regulatory subunits of protein kinase A (PKA) bind to, leading to confinement of PKA to specific cellular locations.  HECTD2 encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase, that adds multiple ubiquitin groups to proteins, thereby labeling them for destruction by the proteasome.    The products of both AKAP11 and HECTD2 interact with GSK3β, a protein inhibited by lithium, the most effective mood stabilizer available to treat bipolar disorder.  These findings point to the dysfunction of specific cellular pathways in bipolar disorder and cast the gene products of AKAP11 and HECTD2 along with GSK3β as promising targets in the search for new treatments for bipolar disorder. 

Based in Reykjavik, Iceland, deCODE genetics is a global leader in analyzing and understanding the human genome. Using its unique expertise and population resources, deCODE has discovered genetic risk factors for dozens of common diseases. The purpose of understanding the genetics of disease is to use that information to create new means of diagnosing, treating and preventing disease. deCODE genetics is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amgen.

Scientists at deCODE genetics, a subsidiary of Amgen, reveal today in Nature Genetics associations between rare loss-of-function variants in two genes and bipolar disorder.

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, March 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings, bouts of mania or hypomania, and episodes of depression.  It is a highly heritable and serious condition, that when untreated comes with a high suicide rate.  While there are several mood-stabilizing drugs available to treat the disorder, pharmaceutical treatment of bipolar disorder can have difficult side-effects and better treatments are urgently needed.

Significant progress has occurred over the last 15 years through genome-wide association studies leading to the identification of hundreds of biomarkers, i.e. DNA sequence variants, associated with the risk of psychiatric disease, including bipolar disorder.  These biomarkers represent common variations each carrying a small risk, but in confluence, they are beginning to account for a considerable part of the variance in psychiatric traits and disorders. Variants predicted to cause loss of function of genes tend to be rare but hold great promise for informing on the underlying biology.   

To harness the information contained in rare loss-of-function (LOF) variants, the scientists performed a variant burden analysis for bipolar disorder using gene-based aggregation of LOF variants in whole genome sequencing data from Iceland and the UK Biobank and using data from the Bipolar Exomes study (BipEx, www.bipex.broadinstitute.org/results) for replication and further meta-analysis efforts. The study revealed the association of LOF variants in two genes (HECTD2 and AKAP11) with bipolar disorder. Both associations with bipolar disorder are novel, but AKAP11 has previously been associated with psychosis and schizophrenia. 

AKAP11 encodes an anchoring protein, that regulatory subunits of protein kinase A (PKA) bind to, leading to confinement of PKA to specific cellular locations.  HECTD2 encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase, that adds multiple ubiquitin groups to proteins, thereby labeling them for destruction by the proteasome.    The products of both AKAP11 and HECTD2 interact with GSK3β, a protein inhibited by lithium, the most effective mood stabilizer available to treat bipolar disorder.  These findings point to the dysfunction of specific cellular pathways in bipolar disorder and cast the gene products of AKAP11 and HECTD2 along with GSK3β as promising targets in the search for new treatments for bipolar disorder. 

Based in Reykjavik, Iceland, deCODE genetics is a global leader in analyzing and understanding the human genome. Using its unique expertise and population resources, deCODE has discovered genetic risk factors for dozens of common diseases. The purpose of understanding the genetics of disease is to use that information to create new means of diagnosing, treating and preventing disease. deCODE genetics is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amgen.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Rare loss-of-function variants in HECTD2 and AKAP11 confer a risk of bipolar disorder

SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LG Display, the world's leading innovator of display technologies, is set to rewrite industry records once again at CES 2026, the world's largest IT and consumer electronics exhibition.

During the Las Vegas show from January 6 to 9, LG Display will unveil a wide lineup of technologies and products that set new records among existing Gaming OLED panels, including the world's highest refresh rate of 720Hz and response time of 0.02ms, the world's first 39-inch 5K2K panel, and the world's first 240Hz panel with an RGB stripe pixel structure.

A full showcase of Gaming OLED panels with overwhelming performance — world-first refresh rate, resolution, and pixel structure

LG Display is presenting a 27-inch Gaming OLED panel at CES 2026 that achieves a refresh rate of 720Hz — the fastest among all Gaming OLED panels currently available. Refresh rate refers to the number of times per second a screen updates, so 720Hz means the screen refreshes 720 times per second. LG Display is the first to achieve such an ultra-high refresh rate on an OLED panel.

This product also offers a response time of up to 0.02ms, which is over 150 times faster than the average response time of LCD panels. The combination of an ultra-high refresh rate and ultra-fast response time eliminates afterimages and motion blur completely, even during rapid on-screen transitions.

The world's first 39-inch 5K2K Gaming OLED panel will also be unveiled at the show. LG Display is currently the only manufacturer worldwide producing 39-inch OLED panels. These curved displays, designed with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 1500R curvature, deliver the ultimate immersive viewing experience with ultra-high resolution that surpasses UHD — ideal for content creators such as video editors and cinematographers. Visitors will also get to witness the world's first OLED panel featuring a 240Hz RGB stripe pixel structure. In addition to its high 240Hz refresh rate that ensures excellent gaming performance, it enables highly detailed and crisp graphic reproduction at 160 pixels per inch (ppi). Optimized for common computer operating systems, its precise pixel structure allows for perfectly sharp text and color representation.

New large-sized OLED technology, Primary RGB Tandem 2.0, to be applied to all 2026 gaming monitors

LG Display also plans to apply its new Tandem WOLED technology, Primary RGB Tandem 2.0, to all Gaming OLED panels launching in 2026.

The company first unveiled its Primary RGB Tandem technology last year — the world's first OLED stack structure in which each of the three primary colors of light (red, green, and blue) is formed as an independent emission layer. The newly upgraded Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 adopts an even more optimized pixel structure and advanced algorithms.

Through this innovation, LG Display's Gaming OLED panels can achieve peak brightness of up to 1,500 nits, deliver perfect blacks with HDR True Black 500, and reproduce up to 99.5% of the DIC color gamut, offering true-to-life picture quality.

"With unmatched refresh rates, resolution, and response times that every gamer dreams of, LG Display is solidifying the unique strength of its OLED panels and enhancing global competitiveness," said Lee Hyun-woo, Head of the Large Display Business Unit at LG Display. He added, "As demand for OLED monitors continues to grow, we plan to accelerate expansion into the market beginning next year, led by world-best and world-first technologies."

About LG Display

LG Display Co., Ltd. [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220] is the world's leading innovator of display technologies, including thin-film transistor liquid crystal and OLED displays. The company manufactures display panels in a broad range of sizes and specifications primarily for use in TVs, notebook computers, desktop monitors, automobiles, and various other applications, including tablets and mobile devices. LG Display currently operates manufacturing facilities in Korea and China, and back-end assembly facilities in Korea, China, and Vietnam. The company has approximately 70,707 employees operating worldwide. For more news and information about LG Display, please visit www.lgdisplay.com.

Media Contact:
Joo Yeon Jennifer Ha, Team Leader, Communication Team
Email: hjy05@lgdisplay.com

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

LG Display showcases wide lineup of world-first, leading OLED monitors