About the Authors

Hirofumi Nakaoka

Affiliation Division of Human Genetics, Department of Integrated Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan

Tailin Cui

Affiliation Division of Molecular Life Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan

Atsushi Tajima

Affiliations Division of Molecular Life Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan, Department of Human Genetics and Public Health, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokusima Graduate School, Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan

Akira Oka

Affiliation Division of Molecular Life Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan

Shigeki Mitsunaga

Affiliation Division of Molecular Life Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan

Koichi Kashiwase

Affiliation Department of Laboratory, Japanese Red Cross Tokyo Blood Center, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Yasuhiko Homma

Affiliation Department of Clinical Health Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan

Shinji Sato

Affiliation Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan

Yasuo Suzuki

Affiliation Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan

Hidetoshi Inoko

Affiliation Division of Molecular Life Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan

Ituro Inoue

itinoue@lab.nig.ac.jp

Affiliations Division of Human Genetics, Department of Integrated Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan, Division of Molecular Life Science, School of Medicine, Tokai University, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan

Competing Interests

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: HN AT HI II. Performed the experiments: AO SM KK. Analyzed the data: HN TC AT. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: YH SS YS HI. Wrote the paper: HN AT II.