DNA from Beethoven’s hair gives insight into fatal liver disease

Using five strands of hair, the scientists discovered that the famous music composer was genetically predisposed to liver disease and had a hepatitis B virus infection.

Using five strands of hair, scientists have sequenced the genome of one of history’s greatest musical composers, Ludwig van Beethoven, nearly two centuries after his death, yielding information about his fatal liver disease, but not about his hearing loss. .

The researchers said his genome showed the German composer was genetically predisposed to liver disease and had a hepatitis B virus infection.

An autopsy after his death in 1827 at age 56 in Vienna determined that he had cirrhosis of the liver, a disease often caused by chronic alcohol use. The new findings suggest that multiple factors were behind his liver disease, including genetics, viral infection and alcohol use.

“The risk of Beethoven liver disease, which arises predominantly from mutations in two genes, PNPLA3 and HFE, would have roughly tripled your risk of the full spectrum of progressive liver disease,” said University of Cambridge biological anthropologist Tristan Begg. , lead author of the study. published in the journal Current Biology on Wednesday.

“On their own, these risk factors are not of great concern to most people who have them, but there would have been a detrimental interaction effect with their alcohol use,” Begg added. “Prior to this study, alcohol was the only definitely known risk factor for Beethoven’s liver disease.”

Hearing loss

The presence of the hepatitis B virus, incorporated into Beethoven’s genome, indicated a liver infection at least a few months before his death and perhaps earlier.

Beethoven experienced progressive hearing loss from the age of 29 and at 44 it was already complete, although he continued to compose masterpieces.

“Ultimately, we were unable to find a genetic explanation for Beethoven’s hearing loss, although this in no way precludes such an explanation, as several possible explanations could not be reliably or comprehensively assessed,” Begg said.

No evidence was found for conditions hypothesized by some experts, such as otosclerosis or Paget’s disease, Begg said.

A leading figure in the history of Western civilization, Beethoven was a brilliant and innovative composer of symphonies, sonatas, concertos, and other pieces, along with a single opera. Many of his works have become immortal, including his Symphonies No. #5, no. #6 and no. #9, Moonlight Sonata and Fur Elise.

In 1802, Beethoven requested in a document called the Heiligenstadt Testament that his doctor publicly describe his hearing loss and other health problems after his death so that “as far as possible, at least the world would be reconciled to me.”

“Beethoven’s music continues to inspire millions nearly 200 years after his death,” Begg said.

“It was valuable to do this study first to try to satisfy Beethoven’s own wishes with regard to understanding his health, but also for the sake of more accurately conveying the facts of his biography, which also concerned him,” he added. .

Researchers analyzed eight locks of hair from public and private collections in the United States and Europe, and determined that five were a match and almost certainly authentic to her own.

The best preserved, called the Stumpff Lock, based on the name of a man who once owned it, was used to sequence its genome.