r-bioc-snpstats 1.28.0+dfsg-1 / usr / lib / R / site-library / snpStats / doc / imputation-vignette.Rnw

%\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article}
\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage{fullpage}
% \usepackage{times}
%\usepackage{mathptmx}
%\renewcommand{\ttdefault}{cmtt}
\usepackage{graphicx}

\usepackage[pdftex,
bookmarks,
bookmarksopen,
pdfauthor={David Clayton},
pdftitle={Imputed SNP analyses with snpStats}]
{hyperref}

\title{Imputed SNP analyses and meta-analysis with snpStats}
\author{David Clayton}
\date{\today}

\usepackage{Sweave}
\SweaveOpts{echo=TRUE, pdf=TRUE, eps=FALSE}

\begin{document}
\setkeys{Gin}{width=1.0\textwidth}
%\VignetteIndexEntry{Imputation and meta-analysis}
%\VignettePackage{snpStats}

\maketitle

% R code as
%<<label[,fig=TRUE]>>=
%
%@ 

\section*{Getting started}
The need for imputation in SNP analysis studies occurs when we have a
smaller set of samples in which a large number of SNPs have been
typed, and a larger set of samples typed in  
only a subset of the SNPs. 
We use the smaller, complete dataset (which will be termed the
{\em training dataset}) to impute the missing SNPs in the larger,
incomplete dataset (the {\em target dataset}). Examples of such applications 
include:
\begin{itemize}
\item use of HapMap data to impute association tests for a large
  number of SNPs, given data from genome-wide studies using, for
  example, a 500K SNP array, and
\item meta-analyses which seek to combine results from two platforms
  such as the Affymetrix 500K and Illumina 550K platforms.
\end{itemize}
Here we will not use a real example such as the above to explore the
use of {\tt snpStats} for imputation, 
but generate a fictitious example using the
data analysed in earlier exercises. This is particularly artificial in
that we have seen that these data suffer from extreme heterogeneity of 
population structure. 

We start by attaching the required libraries and accessing the data
used in the exercises:

<<init>>=
library(snpStats)
library(hexbin)
data(for.exercise)
@ 

We shall sample 200 subjects in our fictitious study as the
training data set, select every second SNP to be missing 
in the target dataset, and split the training set
into two parts accordingly:

<<select>>= 
training <- sample(1000, 200)
select <- seq(1, ncol(snps.10),2) 
missing <- snps.10[training, select]
present <- snps.10[training, -select] 
missing 
present 
@
Thus the training dataset consists of the objects {\tt missing} and
{\tt present}. The target dataset holds a subset of the SNPs 
for the remaining 800 subjects. 

<<target>>=
target <- snps.10[-training, -select]
target
@ 
But, in order to see how successful we
have been with imputation, we will also save the SNPs we have removed from the
target dataset
<<>>=
lost <- snps.10[-training, select]
lost
@ 
We also need to know where the SNPs are on the chromosome in order to
avoid having to search the entire chromosome for suitable predictors
of a missing SNP:

<<positions>>=
pos.miss <- snp.support$position[select]
pos.pres <- snp.support$position[-select]
@ 

\section*{Calculating the imputation rules}

The next step is to calculate a set of rules which
for imputing the {\tt missing} SNPs from the {\tt
  present} SNPs. This is carried out by the function 
  {\tt snp.imputation}\footnote{Sometimes this command generates a
    warning message concerning the maximum number of EM iterations. If this 
    only concerns a small proportion of the SNPs to be imputed it can be 
    ignored.}:

<<rules>>=
rules <- snp.imputation(present, missing, pos.pres, pos.miss)
@ 

This step executes remarkably quickly  when we
consider what the function has done. For each of the \Sexpr{length(select)} 
SNPs in
the ``missing'' set, the function has performed a forward step-wise
regression on the 50 nearest SNPs in the ``present'' set, stopping each
search either when the $R^2$ for prediction exceeds 0.95, or after
including 4 SNPs in the regression, or until $R^2$ is not improved by 
at least 0.05. The figure 50 is the default value of the {\tt try} argument 
of the function, while the values 0.95, 4 and 0.05 together make up the 
default value of the {\tt stopping} argument. After the predictor, or
``tag'' SNPs
have been chosen, the haplotypes of the target SNP plus tags was phased
 and haplotype frequencies calculated using the EM algorithm. These
 frequencies were then stored in the {\tt rules} object.
\footnote{For imputation from small samples, some smoothing of these
  haplotype frequencies would be advantageous and some ability to do
  this has been included. The {\tt use.haps} argument to {\tt
    snp.imputation} controls this. But invoking this option 
  slows down the algorithm and it is not
  advised other than for very small sample sizes.}

A short listing of the first 10 rules follows:
<<rule1>>=
rules[1:10]
@ 
The rules are also selectable by SNP name for detailed examination:
<<rule2>>=
rules[c('rs11253563', 'rs2379080')]
@
Rules are shown with a {\tt +} symbol separating
predictor SNPs. (It is important to know which SNPs were used for each
imputation when checking imputed test results for artifacts.)

A summary table of all the 14,251 rules is generated by 

<<summary>>=
summary(rules)
@ 

Columns represent the number of tag SNPs while rows
represent grouping on $R^2$. The last column (headed {\tt <NA>})
represents SNPs for which an imputation rule could  not be computed,
either because they were monomorphic or because there was insufficient
data (as determined by the {\tt minA} optional argument in the call to
{\tt snp.imputation}). The same information may be displayed graphically by

<<ruleplot,fig=TRUE>>=
plot(rules)
@ 


\section*{Carrying out the association tests}

The association tests for imputed SNPs can be carried out using the
function {\tt single.snp.tests}. 

<<imptest>>=
imp <- single.snp.tests(cc, stratum, data=subject.support,
                        snp.data=target, rules=rules)
@ 

Using the observed data in the matrix {\tt target} and the set of
imputation rules stored in {\tt rules}, the above
command  imputes each of the imputed SNPs, carries out 1- and 2-df
single locus tests for association,  returns the results in the object {\tt
  imp}. To see how successful imputation has been, we can carry out
the same tests using the {\em true} data in {\tt missing}:

<<realtest>>= 
obs <- single.snp.tests(cc, stratum, data=subject.support, snp.data=lost)
@ 

The next commands extract the $p$-values for the 1-df tests, using both
the  imputed and the true ``missing'' data, and plot one against the
other (using the {\tt hexbin} plotting package for clarity):

<<compare,fig=TRUE>>=
logP.imp <- -log10(p.value(imp, df=1))
logP.obs <- -log10(p.value(obs, df=1))
hb <- hexbin(logP.obs, logP.imp, xbin=50)
sp <- plot(hb)
hexVP.abline(sp$plot.vp, 0, 1, col="black")
@ 

As might be expected, the agreement is rather better if we only
compare the results for SNPs that can be computed with high $R^2$. The
$R^2$ value is extracted from the {\tt rules} object, using the
function {\tt imputation.r2} and used to select a subset of rules:

<<best,fig=TRUE>>=
use <- imputation.r2(rules)>0.9
hb <- hexbin(logP.obs[use], logP.imp[use], xbin=50)
sp <- plot(hb)
hexVP.abline(sp$plot.vp, 0, 1, col="black")
@ 

Similarly, the function {\tt imputation.maf} can be used to extract
the minor allele frequencies of the imputed SNP from the {\tt rules}
object. Note that there is a tendency for SNPs with a high minor allele
frequency to be imputed rather more successfully:

<<rsqmaf,fig=TRUE>>=
hb <- hexbin(imputation.maf(rules), imputation.r2(rules), xbin=50)
sp <- plot(hb)
@ 

The function {\tt snp.rhs.glm} also allows testing imputed SNPs. In
its simplest form, it can be used to calculate essentially the same
tests as carried out with 
{\tt single.snp.tests}\footnote{There is a small discrepancy, of the 
  order of $(N-1):N$ .}
(although, being a more flexible function, this will run
  somewhat slower). The next commands recalculate the 1 df tests for
  the imputed SNPs using {\tt snp.rhs.tests}, and plot the results
  against those obtained when values are observed.
<<imptest-rhs,fig=TRUE>>=
imp2 <- snp.rhs.tests(cc~strata(stratum), family="binomial", 
                      data=subject.support, snp.data=target, rules=rules)
logP.imp2 <- -log10(p.value(imp2))
hb <- hexbin(logP.obs, logP.imp2, xbin=50)
sp <- plot(hb)
hexVP.abline(sp$plot.vp, 0, 1, col="black")
@ 

\section*{Storing imputed genotypes}

In the previous two sections we have seen how to (a) generate imputation
rules and, (b) carry out tests on SNPs imputed according to these
rules, but without storing the imputed genotypes. It is also possible
to store imputed SNPs in an object of class {\tt SnpMatrix} (or {\tt
  XSnpMatrix}). The posterior probabilities of assignment of each
individual to the three possible genotypes are stored within a
one byte variable, although obviously not to full accuracy. 

The following command imputes the ``missing'' SNPs using the
``target''  dataset and stores the imputed values in an object of class 
{\tt SnpMatrix}:
<<impstore>>=
imputed <- impute.snps(rules, target, as.numeric=FALSE)
@ 
(If {\tt as.numeric} were set to {\tt TRUE}, the default, the
resulting object would be a simple numeric matrix containing posterior
expectations of the 0, 1, 2 genotype.) A nice graphical description of
how {\tt snpStats} stores uncertain genotypes is provided by the
function {\tt plotUncertainty}. This plots the frequency of the stored
posterior probabilities on an equilateral triangle. The posterior
probabilities are represented by the perpendicular distances from each
side, the vertices of the triangle corresponding to certain
assignments. Thus, the SNP {\tt rs4880568} is accurately imputed
($R^2 = 0.94$)
<<uncert1,fig=TRUE>>=
plotUncertainty(imputed[, "rs4880568"])
@ 
while {\tt rs2050968} is rather less so ($R^2 = 0.77$
<<uncert2,fig=TRUE>>=
plotUncertainty(imputed[, "rs2050968"])
@ 

Tests can be carried out on these uncertainly assigned genotypes. For example
<<imptest2>>=
imp3 <- single.snp.tests(cc, stratum, data=subject.support,
                        snp.data=imputed, uncertain=TRUE)
@ 
The {\tt uncertain=TRUE} argument ensures that uncertaing genotypes
are used in the computations. This should yield nearly the same result 
as before. For the first five SNPs we have 
<<imp3>>=
imp3[1:5]
imp[1:5]
@ 
There are small discrepancies due to the genotype assignment probabilities not
being stored to full accuracy. However these should have little effect
on power of the tests and no effect on the type~1 error rate.

Note that the ability of {\tt snpStats} to store imputed genotypes in
this way allows alternative  programs to be used to generate
the imputed genotypes. For example, the file ``mach1.out.mlprob.gz''
(which is stored in the {\tt extdata} sub-directory of 
the {\tt snpStats} package)
contains imputed SNPs generated by the MACH program, using the {\tt
  --mle} and {\tt --mldetails} options. In the following commands, we
find the full path to this file, read it,  and inspect one the imputed
SNP in column~50:   
<<mach,fig=TRUE>>=
path <- system.file("extdata/mach1.out.mlprob.gz", package="snpStats")
mach <- read.mach(path)
plotUncertainty(mach[,50])
@ 
\section*{Meta-analysis}
As stated at the beginning of this document, one of the main reasons
that we need imputation is to perform meta-analyses which bring
together data from genome-wide studies which use different platforms. 
The {\tt snpStats} package includes a number of tools to facilitate
this. All the tests implemented in {\tt snpStats} are ``score''
tests. In the 1 df case we calculate a score defined by 
the first derivative of the log
likelihood function with respect to the association parameter of
interest at the parameter value corresponding to the null hypothesis
of no association. Denote this by $U$. We also calculate an estimate
of its variance,  also under the null hypothesis --- $V$ say. Then
$U^2/V$ provides the chi-squared test on 1~df. This procedure extends
easily to meta-analysis; given two independent studies of the same
hypothesis, we simply add together the two values of $U$ and the two
values of $V$, and then calculate $U^2/V$ as before. These ideas also
extend naturally to tests of several parameters (2 or more df tests).

In {\tt snpStats}, the statistical testing functions can be
called with the option {\tt score=TRUE}, causing an extended object to
be saved. The extended object contains the $U$ and $V$ values, thus
allowing later combination of the evidence from different
studies. We shall first see what sort of object we have calculated
previously using {\tt
  single.snp.tests} {\em without} the {\tt score=TRUE} argument.
<<class-imp-obs>>=
class(imp)
@ 
This object contains the imputed SNP tests in our target set. However,
these SNPs were observed in our training set, so we can test
them. We will also recalculate the imputed tests. In both cases we
will save the score information:
<<save-scores>>=
obs <- single.snp.tests(cc, stratum, data=subject.support, snp.data=missing, 
                        score=TRUE)
imp <- single.snp.tests(cc, stratum, data=subject.support,
                        snp.data=target, rules=rules, score=TRUE)
@
The extended objects have been returned:
<<>>=
class(obs)
class(imp)
@ 
These extended
objects behave in the same way as the original objects, so that the
same functions can be used to extract chi-squared values, $p$-values
etc., but several additional functions, or methods, are now
available. Chief amongst these is {\tt pool}, which combines evidence
across independent studies as described at the beginning of this
section. Although {\tt obs} and {\tt imp} are {\em not} from
independent studies, so that the resulting test would not be valid, we
can use them to demonstrate this:
<<pool>>=
both <- pool(obs, imp)
class(both)
both[1:5]
@ 
Note that if we wished at some later stage to combine the
results in {\tt both} with a further study, we would also need to
specify {\tt score=TRUE} in the call to {\tt pool}:
<<pool-score>>=
both <- pool(obs, imp, score=TRUE)
class(both)
@

Another reason to save the score statistics is that this allows us to
investigate the {\em direction} of findings. These can be extracted
from the extended objects using the function {\tt effect.sign}. For
example, this command tabulates the signs of the associations in {\tt obs}:
<<sign>>=
table(effect.sign(obs))
@ 
In this table, -1 corresponds to tests in which 
effect sizes were negative (corresponding to an
odds ratio less than one), while +1 indicates positive effect sizes
(odds ratio greater than one). Zero sign indicates that 
the effect was {\tt NA} (for example
because the SNP was monomorphic). 
Reversal of sign can be the explanation of a puzzling phenomenon when
two studies give significant results individually, but no significant
association when pooled. Although it is not impossible that such
results are genuine, a more usual explanation is that the two alleles
have been coded differently in the two studies: allele~1 in the first
study is allele~2 in the second study and vice versa. To allow for
this, {\tt snpStats} provides the {\tt switch.alleles} function, which
reverses the coding of specified SNPs. It can be applied to {\tt
  SnpMatrix} objects but, because allele switches are often
discovered quite late on in the analysis and recoding the original
data matrices could have unforeseen consequences, the {\tt
  switch.alleles} function can also be applied to the extended test
output objects. This modifies the saved scores {\em as if} the allele
coding had been switched in the original data. The use of this is
demonstrated below.
<<switch>>=
effect.sign(obs)[1:6]
sw.obs <- switch.alleles(obs, 1:3)
class(sw.obs)
effect.sign(sw.obs)[1:6]
@ 
\end{document}