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Qu K, Li MX, Yu P, Wu BH, Shi M, Dong M. HMG-CoA reductase is a potential therapeutic target for migraine: a mendelian randomization study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12094. [PMID: 38802400 PMCID: PMC11130224 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61628-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Statins are thought to have positive effects on migraine but existing data are inconclusive. We aimed to evaluate the causal effect of such drugs on migraines using Mendelian randomization. We used four types of genetic instruments as proxies for HMG-CoA reductase inhibition. We included the expression quantitative trait loci of the HMG-CoA reductase gene and genetic variation within or near the HMG-CoA reductase gene region. Variants were associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and total cholesterol. Genome-wide association study summary data for the three lipids were obtained from the UK Biobank. Comparable data for migraine were obtained from the International Headache Genetic Consortium and the FinnGen Consortium. Inverse variance weighting method was used for the primary analysis. Additional analyses included pleiotropic robust methods, colocalization, and meta-analysis. Genetically determined high expression of HMG-CoA reductase was associated with an increased risk of migraines (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.30-1.84, P = 6.87 × 10-7). Similarly, three genetically determined HMG-CoA reductase-mediated lipids were associated with an increased risk of migraine. These conclusions were consistent across meta-analyses. We found no evidence of bias caused by pleiotropy or genetic confounding factors. These findings support the hypothesis that statins can be used to treat migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Qu
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Xinmin Street #1, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Ming-Xi Li
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Xinmin Street #1, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Peng Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Bai-Hua Wu
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Xinmin Street #1, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Miao Shi
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Xinmin Street #1, Changchun, 130021, China
| | - Ming Dong
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Xinmin Street #1, Changchun, 130021, China.
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2
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Yarmolinsky J, Tzoulaki I, Gunter MJ, Travis RC, Davey Smith G, Smith-Byrne K. RE: Exploring the cross-cancer effect of circulating proteins and discovering potential intervention targets for 13 site-specific cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024; 116:764-765. [PMID: 38486358 PMCID: PMC11077299 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djae064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- James Yarmolinsky
- Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ioanna Tzoulaki
- Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Marc J Gunter
- Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ruth C Travis
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Oxford Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Karl Smith-Byrne
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Oxford Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Sharma P, Klarin D, Voight BF, Tsao PS, Levin MG, Damrauer SM. Evaluation of Plasma Biomarkers for Causal Association With Peripheral Artery Disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2024; 44:1114-1123. [PMID: 38545784 PMCID: PMC11043009 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.124.320674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hundreds of biomarkers for peripheral artery disease (PAD) have been reported in the literature; however, the observational nature of these studies limits causal inference due to the potential of reverse causality and residual confounding. We sought to evaluate the potential causal impact of putative PAD biomarkers identified in human observational studies through genetic causal inference methods. METHODS Putative circulating PAD biomarkers were identified from human observational studies through a comprehensive literature search based on terms related to PAD using PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase. Genetic instruments were generated from publicly available genome-wide association studies of circulating biomarkers. Two-sample Mendelian randomization was used to test the association of genetically determined biomarker levels with PAD using summary statistics from a genome-wide association study of 31 307 individuals with and 211 753 individuals without PAD in the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program and replicated in data from FinnGen comprised of 11 924 individuals with and 288 638 individuals without PAD. RESULTS We identified 204 unique circulating biomarkers for PAD from the observational literature, of which 173 were genetically instrumented using genome-wide association study results. After accounting for multiple testing (false discovery rate, <0.05), 10 of 173 (5.8%) biomarkers had significant associations with PAD. These 10 biomarkers represented categories including plasma lipoprotein regulation, lipid homeostasis, and protein-lipid complex remodeling. Observational literature highlighted different pathways including inflammatory response, negative regulation of multicellular organismal processes, and regulation of response to external stimuli. CONCLUSIONS Integrating human observational studies and genetic causal inference highlights several key pathways in PAD pathophysiology. This work demonstrates that a substantial portion of biomarkers identified in observational studies are not well supported by human genetic evidence and emphasizes the importance of triangulating evidence to understand PAD pathophysiology. Although the identified biomarkers offer insights into atherosclerotic development in the lower limb, their specificity to PAD compared with more widespread atherosclerosis requires further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav Sharma
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Derek Klarin
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, CA
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Benjamin F. Voight
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United State
| | - Philip S. Tsao
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, CA
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA
| | - Michael G. Levin
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Scott M. Damrauer
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Han S, Yao J, Yamazaki H, Streicher SA, Rao J, Nianogo RA, Zhang Z, Huang BZ. Genetically Determined Circulating Lactase/Phlorizin Hydrolase Concentrations and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study. Nutrients 2024; 16:808. [PMID: 38542719 PMCID: PMC10975724 DOI: 10.3390/nu16060808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous research has found that milk is associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, it is unclear whether the milk digestion by the enzyme lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH) plays a role in CRC susceptibility. Our study aims to investigate the direct causal relationship of CRC risk with LPH levels by applying a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) strategy. Genetic instruments for LPH were derived from the Fenland Study, and CRC-associated summary statistics for these instruments were extracted from the FinnGen Study, PLCO Atlas Project, and Pan-UK Biobank. Primary MR analyses focused on a cis-variant (rs4988235) for LPH levels, with results integrated via meta-analysis. MR analyses using all variants were also undertaken. This analytical approach was further extended to assess CRC subtypes (colon and rectal). Meta-analysis across the three datasets illustrated an inverse association between genetically predicted LPH levels and CRC risk (OR: 0.92 [95% CI, 0.89-0.95]). Subtype analyses revealed associations of elevated LPH levels with reduced risks for both colon (OR: 0.92 [95% CI, 0.89-0.96]) and rectal cancer (OR: 0.92 [95% CI, 0.87, 0.98]). Consistency was observed across varied analytical methods and datasets. Further exploration is warranted to unveil the underlying mechanisms and validate LPH's potential role in CRC prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihao Han
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.Y.); (J.R.); (R.A.N.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Jiemin Yao
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.Y.); (J.R.); (R.A.N.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Hajime Yamazaki
- Section of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Community Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8303, Japan;
- Center for Innovative Research for Communities and Clinical Excellence (CiRC2LE), Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Samantha A. Streicher
- Cancer Epidemiology Division, Population Sciences in the Pacific Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA;
| | - Jianyu Rao
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.Y.); (J.R.); (R.A.N.); (Z.Z.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Roch A. Nianogo
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.Y.); (J.R.); (R.A.N.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zuofeng Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; (J.Y.); (J.R.); (R.A.N.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Brian Z. Huang
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA;
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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Gagnon E, Daghlas I, Zagkos L, Sargurupremraj M, Georgakis MK, Anderson CD, Cronje HT, Burgess S, Arsenault BJ, Gill D. Mendelian Randomization Applied to Neurology: Promises and Challenges. Neurology 2024; 102:e209128. [PMID: 38261980 PMCID: PMC7615637 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000209128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The Mendelian randomization (MR) paradigm allows for causal inferences to be drawn using genetic data. In recent years, the expansion of well-powered publicly available genetic association data related to phenotypes such as brain tissue gene expression, brain imaging, and neurologic diseases offers exciting opportunities for the application of MR in the field of neurology. In this review, we discuss the basic principles of MR, its myriad applications to research in neurology, and potential pitfalls of injudicious applications. Throughout, we provide examples where MR-informed findings have shed light on long-standing epidemiologic controversies, provided insights into the pathophysiology of neurologic conditions, prioritized drug targets, and informed drug repurposing opportunities. With the ever-expanding availability of genome-wide association data, we project MR to become a key driver of progress in the field of neurology. It is therefore paramount that academics and clinicians within the field are familiar with the approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eloi Gagnon
- From the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (E.G., B.J.A.), Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology (I.D.), University of California San Francisco; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (L.Z., D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases (M.S.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (M.K.G., C.D.A.), Cambridge, MA; Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) (M.K.G.), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; Center for Genomic Medicine (C.D.A.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Neurology (C.D.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Public Health (H.T.C.), Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; MRC Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine (B.J.A.), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Iyas Daghlas
- From the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (E.G., B.J.A.), Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology (I.D.), University of California San Francisco; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (L.Z., D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases (M.S.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (M.K.G., C.D.A.), Cambridge, MA; Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) (M.K.G.), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; Center for Genomic Medicine (C.D.A.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Neurology (C.D.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Public Health (H.T.C.), Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; MRC Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine (B.J.A.), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Loukas Zagkos
- From the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (E.G., B.J.A.), Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology (I.D.), University of California San Francisco; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (L.Z., D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases (M.S.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (M.K.G., C.D.A.), Cambridge, MA; Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) (M.K.G.), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; Center for Genomic Medicine (C.D.A.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Neurology (C.D.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Public Health (H.T.C.), Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; MRC Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine (B.J.A.), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Muralidharan Sargurupremraj
- From the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (E.G., B.J.A.), Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology (I.D.), University of California San Francisco; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (L.Z., D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases (M.S.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (M.K.G., C.D.A.), Cambridge, MA; Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) (M.K.G.), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; Center for Genomic Medicine (C.D.A.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Neurology (C.D.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Public Health (H.T.C.), Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; MRC Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine (B.J.A.), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Marios K Georgakis
- From the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (E.G., B.J.A.), Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology (I.D.), University of California San Francisco; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (L.Z., D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases (M.S.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (M.K.G., C.D.A.), Cambridge, MA; Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) (M.K.G.), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; Center for Genomic Medicine (C.D.A.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Neurology (C.D.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Public Health (H.T.C.), Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; MRC Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine (B.J.A.), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Christopher D Anderson
- From the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (E.G., B.J.A.), Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology (I.D.), University of California San Francisco; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (L.Z., D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases (M.S.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (M.K.G., C.D.A.), Cambridge, MA; Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) (M.K.G.), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; Center for Genomic Medicine (C.D.A.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Neurology (C.D.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Public Health (H.T.C.), Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; MRC Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine (B.J.A.), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Helene T Cronje
- From the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (E.G., B.J.A.), Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology (I.D.), University of California San Francisco; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (L.Z., D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases (M.S.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (M.K.G., C.D.A.), Cambridge, MA; Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) (M.K.G.), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; Center for Genomic Medicine (C.D.A.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Neurology (C.D.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Public Health (H.T.C.), Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; MRC Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine (B.J.A.), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Stephen Burgess
- From the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (E.G., B.J.A.), Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology (I.D.), University of California San Francisco; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (L.Z., D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases (M.S.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (M.K.G., C.D.A.), Cambridge, MA; Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) (M.K.G.), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; Center for Genomic Medicine (C.D.A.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Neurology (C.D.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Public Health (H.T.C.), Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; MRC Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine (B.J.A.), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Benoit J Arsenault
- From the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (E.G., B.J.A.), Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology (I.D.), University of California San Francisco; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (L.Z., D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases (M.S.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (M.K.G., C.D.A.), Cambridge, MA; Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) (M.K.G.), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; Center for Genomic Medicine (C.D.A.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Neurology (C.D.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Public Health (H.T.C.), Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; MRC Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine (B.J.A.), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Dipender Gill
- From the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (E.G., B.J.A.), Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology (I.D.), University of California San Francisco; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (L.Z., D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases (M.S.), University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (M.K.G., C.D.A.), Cambridge, MA; Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) (M.K.G.), University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; Center for Genomic Medicine (C.D.A.), Massachusetts General Hospital; Department of Neurology (C.D.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA; Department of Public Health (H.T.C.), Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; MRC Biostatistics Unit (S.B.), and Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Medicine (B.J.A.), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
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Huang A, Wu X, Lin J, Wei C, Xu W. Genetic insights into repurposing statins for hyperthyroidism prevention: a drug-target Mendelian randomization study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1331031. [PMID: 38425755 PMCID: PMC10902122 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1331031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Current therapeutic measures for thyroid dysfunction are limited and often accompanied by adverse effects. The use of lipid-lowering drugs like statins has recently been associated with lower thyroid eye diseases risk. Objective To investigate the implications of genetically proxied lipid-lowering drugs on thyroid dysfunction. Methods In this drug-target Mendelian randomization (MR) study, we utilized genetic variants within drug target genes associated with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or triglyceride (TG), derived from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis (N ≤ 188,577), to simulate lifelong drug interventions. Genetic summary statistics for thyroid dysfunction outcomes were retrieved from GWAS datasets of Thyroid Omics Consortium (N ≤ 54,288) and UK Biobank (N = 484,598). Inverse-variance-weighted MR (IVW-MR) method was performed as primary analysis, followed by validation in colocalization analysis. A subsequent two-step MR analysis was conducted to identify biomarkers mediating the identified drug-outcome association. Results In IVW-MR analysis, genetic mimicry of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylcoenzyme reductase (HMGCR) inhibitors (e.g. statins) was significantly associated with lower risk of hyperthyroidism in two independent datasets (OR1, 0.417 per 1-mmol/L lower in LDL-C; 95% CI 0.262 to 0.664; P1 = 2.262 × 10-4; OR2 0.996; 95% CI 0.993-0.998; P2 = 0.002). Two-step MR analysis revealed eighteen biomarkers linked to genetic mimicry of HMGCR inhibition, and identified insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels mediating 2.108% of the negative causal relationship between HMGCR inhibition and hyperthyroidism. Conclusion This study supports HMGCR inhibition as a promising therapeutic strategy for hyperthyroidism and suggests its underlying mechanisms may extend beyond lipid metabolism. Further investigations through laboratory studies and clinical trials are necessary to confirm and elucidate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Huang
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Xinyi Wu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Jiaqi Lin
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Chiju Wei
- Multidisciplinary Research Center, Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Wencan Xu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
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Burgess S, Cronjé HT. Incorporating biological and clinical insights into variant choice for Mendelian randomisation: examples and principles. EGASTROENTEROLOGY 2024; 2:e100042. [PMID: 38362310 PMCID: PMC7615644 DOI: 10.1136/egastro-2023-100042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Mendelian randomisation is an accessible and valuable epidemiological approach to provide insight into the causal nature of relationships between risk factor exposures and disease outcomes. However, if performed without critical thought, we may simply have replaced one set of implausible assumptions (no unmeasured confounding or reverse causation) with another set of implausible assumptions (no pleiotropy or other instrument invalidity). The most critical decision to avoid pleiotropy is which genetic variants to use as instrumental variables. Two broad strategies for instrument selection are a biologically motivated strategy and a genome-wide strategy; in general, a biologically motivated strategy is preferred. In this review, we discuss various ways of implementing a biologically motivated selection strategy: using variants in a coding gene region for the exposure or a gene region that encodes a regulator of exposure levels, using a positive control variable and using a biomarker as the exposure rather than its behavioural proxy. In some cases, a genome-wide analysis can provide important complementary evidence, even when its reliability is questionable. In other cases, a biologically-motivated analysis may not be possible. The choice of genetic variants must be informed by biological and functional considerations where possible, requiring collaboration to combine biological and clinical insights with appropriate statistical methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Burgess
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Héléne Toinét Cronjé
- Health Analytics, Lane Clark & Peacock LLP, London, UK
- Department of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, København, Denmark
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Gill D, Zagkos L, Gill R, Benzing T, Jordan J, Birkenfeld AL, Burgess S, Zahn G. The citrate transporter SLC13A5 as a therapeutic target for kidney disease: evidence from Mendelian randomization to inform drug development. BMC Med 2023; 21:504. [PMID: 38110950 PMCID: PMC10729503 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-03227-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Solute carrier family 13 member 5 (SLC13A5) is a Na+-coupled citrate co-transporter that mediates entry of extracellular citrate into the cytosol. SLC13A5 inhibition has been proposed as a target for reducing progression of kidney disease. The aim of this study was to leverage the Mendelian randomization paradigm to gain insight into the effects of SLC13A5 inhibition in humans, towards prioritizing and informing clinical development efforts. METHODS The primary Mendelian randomization analyses investigated the effect of SLC13A5 inhibition on measures of kidney function, including creatinine and cystatin C-based measures of estimated glomerular filtration rate (creatinine-eGFR and cystatin C-eGFR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR), and risk of chronic kidney disease and microalbuminuria. Secondary analyses included a paired plasma and urine metabolome-wide association study, investigation of secondary traits related to SLC13A5 biology, a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS), and a proteome-wide association study. All analyses were compared to the effect of genetically predicted plasma citrate levels using variants selected from across the genome, and statistical sensitivity analyses robust to the inclusion of pleiotropic variants were also performed. Data were obtained from large-scale genetic consortia and biobanks, with sample sizes ranging from 5023 to 1,320,016 individuals. RESULTS We found evidence of associations between genetically proxied SLC13A5 inhibition and higher creatinine-eGFR (p = 0.002), cystatin C-eGFR (p = 0.005), and lower BUN (p = 3 × 10-4). Statistical sensitivity analyses robust to the inclusion of pleiotropic variants suggested that these effects may be a consequence of higher plasma citrate levels. There was no strong evidence of associations of genetically proxied SLC13A5 inhibition with uACR or risk of CKD or microalbuminuria. Secondary analyses identified evidence of associations with higher plasma calcium levels (p = 6 × 10-13) and lower fasting glucose (p = 0.02). PheWAS did not identify any safety concerns. CONCLUSIONS This Mendelian randomization analysis provides human-centric insight to guide clinical development of an SLC13A5 inhibitor. We identify plasma calcium and citrate as biologically plausible biomarkers of target engagement, and plasma citrate as a potential biomarker of mechanism of action. Our human genetic evidence corroborates evidence from various animal models to support effects of SLC13A5 inhibition on improving kidney function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipender Gill
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Primula Group Ltd, London, UK.
| | - Loukas Zagkos
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Thomas Benzing
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster On Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jens Jordan
- Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
- Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas L Birkenfeld
- Department of Diabetology Endocrinology and Nephrology, Internal Medicine IV, University Hospital Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Division of Translational Diabetology, Institute of Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Diabetes, School of Life Course Science and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Stephen Burgess
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit at the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Woolf B, Rajasundaram S, Cronjé HT, Yarmolinsky J, Burgess S, Gill D. A drug target for erectile dysfunction to help improve fertility, sexual activity, and wellbeing: mendelian randomisation study. BMJ 2023; 383:e076197. [PMID: 38086555 PMCID: PMC10716676 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2023-076197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of genetically proxied (using a surrogate biomarker) inhibition of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5), an established drug target for erectile dysfunction, with fertility, sexual behaviour, and subjective wellbeing. DESIGN Two sample cis-mendelian randomisation study. SETTING Summary data on genetic associations obtained from the International Consortium for Blood Pressure and UK Biobank. PARTICIPANTS Individuals of European ancestry from the International Consortium for Blood Pressure (n=757 601) for estimating PDE5 inhibition (using the surrogate biomarker of diastolic blood pressure reduction), and UK Biobank (n=211 840) for estimating the fertility, sexual behaviour, and subjective wellbeing outcomes in male participants. INTERVENTION Genetically proxied PDE5 inhibition. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Number of children fathered, number of sexual partners, probability of never having had sexual intercourse, and subjective wellbeing. RESULTS Genetically proxied PDE5 inhibition was associated with male participants having 0.28 (95% confidence interval 0.16 to 0.39) more children (false discovery rate corrected P<0.001). This association was not identified in female participants. No evidence was found of an association between genetically proxied PDE5 inhibition and number of sexual partners, probability of never having had sexual intercourse, or self-reported wellbeing in male participants. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study provide genetic support for PDE5 inhibition potentially increasing the number of children fathered by male individuals. Absence of this association in female participants supports increased propensity for sustained and robust penile erections as a potential underlying mechanism. Further studies are required to confirm this, however, and these findings should not promote indiscriminate use of PDE5 inhibitors, which can also have harmful adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Woolf
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Skanda Rajasundaram
- Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Héléne T Cronjé
- Department of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - James Yarmolinsky
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Stephen Burgess
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Dipender Gill
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
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10
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Lou C, Meng Z, Shi YY, Zheng R, Qian SZ, Pan J. Genetic association of lipids and lipid-lowering drugs with sepsis: a Mendelian randomization and mediation analysis. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1217922. [PMID: 37621565 PMCID: PMC10446761 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1217922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The impact of lipid-lowering medications on sepsis is still not well defined. A Mendelian randomization (MR) study was carried out to probe the causal connections between genetically determined lipids, lipid-reducing drugs, and the risk of sepsis. Materials and methods Data on total serum cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), and triglycerides (TG) were retrieved from the MR-Base platform and the Global Lipids Genetics Consortium in 2021 (GLGC2021). Our study categorized sepsis into two groups: total sepsis and 28-day mortality of sepsis patients (sepsis28). The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was the primary method used in MR analysis. Cochran's Q test and the MR-Egger intercept method were used to assess the heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Results In the MR analysis, we found that ApoA-I played a suggestively positive role in protecting against both total sepsis (OR, 0.863 per SD increase in ApoA-I; 95% CI, 0.780-0.955; P = 0.004) and sepsis28 (OR, 0.759; 95% CI, 0.598-0.963; P = 0.023). HDL-C levels were also found to suggestively reduce the incidence of total sepsis (OR, 0.891 per SD increase in HDL-C; 95% CI, 0.802-0.990; P = 0.031). Reverse-MR showed that sepsis28 led to a decrease in HDL-C level and an increase in TG level. In drug-target MR, we found that HMGCR inhibitors positively protected against total sepsis (1 OR , 0.719 per SD reduction in LDL-C; 95% CI, 0.540-0.958; P = 0.024). LDL-C and HDL-C proxied CETP inhibitors were found to have a protective effect on total sepsis, with only LDL-C proxied CETP inhibitors showing a suggestively protective effect on sepsis28. In Mediated-MR, BMI exhibited a negative indirect effect in HMGCR inhibitors curing sepsis. The indirect impact of ApoA-I explained over 50% of the curative effects of CETP inhibitors in sepsis. Conclusions Our MR study suggested that ApoA-I and HDL-C protected against sepsis, while HMGCR and CETP inhibitors showed therapeutic potential beyond lipid-lowering effects. ApoA-I explained the effects of CETP inhibitors. Our study illuminates how lipids affect sepsis patients and the effectiveness of new drugs, opening new avenues for sepsis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Lou
- School of The First Clinical Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhizhen Meng
- Department of Emergency, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Yiwu, China
| | - Yi-Yi Shi
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Rui Zheng
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Song-Zan Qian
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jingye Pan
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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11
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Au Yeung SL, Gill D. Standardizing the reporting of Mendelian randomization studies. BMC Med 2023; 21:187. [PMID: 37198682 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-02894-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shiu Lun Au Yeung
- School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
| | - Dipender Gill
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
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12
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Qin C, Diaz-Gallo LM, Tang B, Wang Y, Nguyen TD, Harder A, Lu Y, Padyukov L, Askling J, Hägg S. Repurposing antidiabetic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis: results from a two-sample Mendelian randomization study. Eur J Epidemiol 2023:10.1007/s10654-023-01000-9. [PMID: 37052755 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-023-01000-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Despite increasing therapeutic options to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), many patients fail to reach treatment targets. The use of antidiabetic drugs like thiazolidinediones has been associated with lower RA risk. We aimed to explore the repurposing potential of antidiabetic drugs in RA prevention by assessing associations between genetic variation in antidiabetic drug target genes and RA using Mendelian randomization (MR). A two-sample MR design was used to estimate the association between the antidiabetic drug and RA risk using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We selected independent genetic variants from the gene(s) that encode the target protein(s) of the investigated antidiabetic drug as instruments. We extracted the associations of instruments with blood glucose concentration and RA from the UK Biobank and a GWAS meta-analysis of clinically diagnosed RA, respectively. The effect of genetic variation in the drug target(s) on RA risk was estimated by the Wald ratio test or inverse-variance weighted method. Insulin and its analogues, thiazolidinediones, and sulfonylureas had valid genetic instruments (n = 1, 1, and 2, respectively). Genetic variation in thiazolidinedione target (gene: PPARG) was inversely associated with RA risk (odds ratio [OR] 0.38 per 0.1mmol/L glucose lowering, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20-0.73). Corresponding ORs (95%CIs) were 0.83 (0.44-1.55) for genetic variation in the targets of insulin and its analogues (gene: INSR), and 1.12 (0.83, 1.49) 1.25 (0.78-2.00) for genetic variation in the sulfonylurea targets (gene: ABCC8 and KCNJ11). In conclusion, genetic variation in the thiazolidinedione target is associated with a lower RA risk. The underlying mechanisms warrant further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Qin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lina-Marcela Diaz-Gallo
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinksa University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bowen Tang
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yunzhang Wang
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thuy-Dung Nguyen
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Arvid Harder
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Leonid Padyukov
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinksa University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Askling
- Clinical Epidemiology Division, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Rheumatology, Theme Inflammation and Infection, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sara Hägg
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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13
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Huang J, Gill D, Zuber V, Matthews PM, Elliott P, Tzoulaki I, Dehghan A. Circulatory proteins relate cardiovascular disease to cognitive performance: A mendelian randomisation study. Front Genet 2023; 14:1124431. [PMID: 36873953 PMCID: PMC9981660 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1124431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and objectives: Mechanistic research suggests synergistic effects of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and dementia pathologies on cognitive decline. Interventions targeting proteins relevant to shared mechanisms underlying CVD and dementia could also be used for the prevention of cognitive impairment. Methods: We applied Mendelian randomisation (MR) and colocalization analysis to investigate the causal relationships of 90 CVD-related proteins measured by the Olink CVD I panel with cognitive traits. Genetic instruments for circulatory protein concentrations were obtained using a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) from the SCALLOP consortium (N = 17,747) based on three sets of criteria: 1) protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL); 2) cis-pQTL (pQTL within ±500 kb from the coding gene); and 3) brain-specific cis-expression QTL (cis-eQTL) which accounts for coding gene expression based on GTEx8. Genetic associations of cognitive performance were obtained from GWAS for either: 1) general cognitive function constructed using Principal Component Analysis (N = 300,486); or, 2) g Factor constructed using genomic structural equation modelling (N = 11,263-331,679). Findings for candidate causal proteins were replicated using a separate protein GWAS in Icelanders (N = 35,559). Results: A higher concentration of genetically predicted circulatory myeloperoxidase (MPO) was nominally associated with better cognitive performance (p < 0.05) using different selection criteria for genetic instruments. Particularly, brain-specific cis-eQTL predicted MPO, which accounts for protein-coding gene expression in brain tissues, was associated with general cognitive function (βWald = 0.22, PWald = 2.4 × 10-4). The posterior probability for colocalization (PP.H4) of MPO pQTL with the g Factor was 0.577. Findings for MPO were replicated using the Icelandic GWAS. Although we did not find evidence for colocalization, we found that higher genetically predicted concentrations of cathepsin D and CD40 were associated with better cognitive performance and a higher genetically predicted concentration of CSF-1 was associated with poorer cognitive performance. Conclusion: We conclude that these proteins are involved in shared pathways between CVD and those for cognitive reserve or affecting cognitive decline, suggesting therapeutic targets able to reduce genetic risks conferred by cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Huang
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dipender Gill
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Verena Zuber
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul M. Matthews
- Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Elliott
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ioanna Tzoulaki
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina Medical School, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Abbas Dehghan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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14
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Gkatzionis A, Burgess S, Newcombe PJ. Statistical methods for cis-Mendelian randomization with two-sample summary-level data. Genet Epidemiol 2023; 47:3-25. [PMID: 36273411 PMCID: PMC7614127 DOI: 10.1002/gepi.22506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Mendelian randomization (MR) is the use of genetic variants to assess the existence of a causal relationship between a risk factor and an outcome of interest. Here, we focus on two-sample summary-data MR analyses with many correlated variants from a single gene region, particularly on cis-MR studies which use protein expression as a risk factor. Such studies must rely on a small, curated set of variants from the studied region; using all variants in the region requires inverting an ill-conditioned genetic correlation matrix and results in numerically unstable causal effect estimates. We review methods for variable selection and estimation in cis-MR with summary-level data, ranging from stepwise pruning and conditional analysis to principal components analysis, factor analysis, and Bayesian variable selection. In a simulation study, we show that the various methods have comparable performance in analyses with large sample sizes and strong genetic instruments. However, when weak instrument bias is suspected, factor analysis and Bayesian variable selection produce more reliable inferences than simple pruning approaches, which are often used in practice. We conclude by examining two case studies, assessing the effects of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and serum testosterone on coronary heart disease risk using variants in the HMGCR and SHBG gene regions, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apostolos Gkatzionis
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Department of Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Stephen Burgess
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paul J. Newcombe
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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15
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Newby D. Are phosphodiesterase Type 5 inhibitors potential therapies for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias? Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac260. [PMID: 36324868 PMCID: PMC9598549 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Newby
- Correspondence to: Danielle Newby Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Centre for Statistics in Medicine University of Oxford, Oxford, UK E-mail:
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16
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipender Gill
- From the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine (M.V.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia; and Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center (M.V.), Philadelphia, PA.
| | - Marijana Vujkovic
- From the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (D.G.), School of Public Health, Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine (M.V.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia; and Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center (M.V.), Philadelphia, PA
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17
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Georgakis MK, Malik R, Richardson TG, Howson JMM, Anderson CD, Burgess S, Hovingh GK, Dichgans M, Gill D. Associations of genetically predicted IL-6 signaling with cardiovascular disease risk across population subgroups. BMC Med 2022; 20:245. [PMID: 35948913 PMCID: PMC9367072 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02446-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interleukin 6 (IL-6) signaling is being investigated as a therapeutic target for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). While changes in circulating high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) are used as a marker of IL-6 signaling, it is not known whether there is effect heterogeneity in relation to baseline hsCRP levels or other cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of this study was to explore the association of genetically predicted IL-6 signaling with CVD risk across populations stratified by baseline hsCRP levels and cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS Among 397,060 White British UK Biobank participants without known CVD at baseline, we calculated a genetic risk score for IL-6 receptor (IL-6R)-mediated signaling, composed of 26 variants at the IL6R gene locus. We then applied linear and non-linear Mendelian randomization analyses exploring associations with a combined endpoint of incident coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, peripheral artery disease, aortic aneurysm, and cardiovascular death stratifying by baseline hsCRP levels and cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS The study participants (median age 59 years, 53.9% females) were followed-up for a median of 8.8 years, over which time a total of 46,033 incident cardiovascular events occurred. Genetically predicted IL-6R-mediated signaling activity was associated with higher CVD risk (hazard ratio per 1-mg/dL increment in absolute hsCRP levels: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06-1.17). The increase in CVD risk was linearly related to baseline absolute hsCRP levels. There was no evidence of heterogeneity in the association of genetically predicted IL-6R-mediated signaling with CVD risk when stratifying the population by sex, age, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, or systolic blood pressure, but there was evidence of greater associations in individuals with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥ 160 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS Any benefit of inhibiting IL-6 signaling for CVD risk reduction is likely to be proportional to absolute reductions in hsCRP levels. Therapeutic inhibition of IL-6 signaling for CVD risk reduction should therefore prioritize those individuals with the highest baseline levels of hsCRP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marios K Georgakis
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Richard B. Simches Research Center, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN 6818, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA.
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Rainer Malik
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Christopher D Anderson
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Richard B. Simches Research Center, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN 6818, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen Burgess
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - G Kees Hovingh
- Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Global Chief Medical Office, Novo Nordisk, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Dichgans
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
| | - Dipender Gill
- Genetics Department, Novo Nordisk Research Centre, Oxford, UK.
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Medical School Building, St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK.
- Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Section, Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's, University of London, London, UK.
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Zhao JV, Liu F, Schooling CM, Li J, Gu D, Lu X. Using genetics to assess the association of commonly used antihypertensive drugs with diabetes, glycaemic traits and lipids: a trans-ancestry Mendelian randomisation study. Diabetologia 2022; 65:695-704. [PMID: 35080656 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-021-05645-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS Diabetes and hyperlipidaemia are common comorbidities in people with hypertension. Despite similar protective effects on CVD, different classes of antihypertensive drugs have different effects on CVD risk factors, including diabetes, glucose metabolism and lipids. However, these pleiotropic effects have not been assessed in long-term, large randomised controlled trials, especially for East Asians. METHODS We used Mendelian randomisation to obtain unconfounded associations of ACE inhibitors, β-blockers (BBs) and calcium channel blockers (CCBs). Specifically, we used genetic variants in drug target genes and related to systolic BP in Europeans and East Asians, and applied them to the largest available genome-wide association studies of diabetes (74,124 cases and 824,006 controls in Europeans, 77,418 cases and 356,122 controls in East Asians), blood glucose levels, HbA1c, and lipids (LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerols) (approximately 0.5 million Europeans and 0.1 million East Asians). We used coronary artery disease (CAD) as a control outcome and used different genetic instruments and analysis methods as sensitivity analyses. RESULTS As expected, genetically proxied ACE inhibition, BBs and CCBs were related to lower risk of CAD in both ancestries. Genetically proxied ACE inhibition was associated with a lower risk of diabetes (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.93), and genetic proxies for BBs were associated with a higher risk of diabetes (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.09). The estimates were similar in East Asians, and were corroborated by systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials. In both ancestries, genetic proxies for BBs were associated with lower HDL-cholesterol and higher triacylglycerols, and genetic proxies for CCBs were associated with higher LDL-cholesterol. The estimates were robust to the use of different genetic instruments and analytical methods. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest protective association of genetically proxied ACE inhibition with diabetes, while genetic proxies for BBs and CCBs possibly relate to an unfavourable metabolic profile. Developing a deeper understanding of the pathways underlying these diverse associations would be worthwhile, with implications for drug repositioning as well as optimal CVD prevention and treatment strategies in people with hypertension, diabetes and/or hyperlipidaemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie V Zhao
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
| | - Fangchao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Epidemiology & Department of Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - C Mary Schooling
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
- School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jianxin Li
- Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Epidemiology & Department of Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Dongfeng Gu
- Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Epidemiology & Department of Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Health and Precision Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiangfeng Lu
- Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Epidemiology & Department of Epidemiology, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
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19
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Morning Cortisol and Circulating Inflammatory Cytokine Levels: A Mendelian Randomisation Study. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13010116. [PMID: 35052454 PMCID: PMC8774857 DOI: 10.3390/genes13010116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortisol exerts a broad anti-inflammatory effect on the immune system. Inflammatory cytokines contribute to the molecular signalling pathways implicated in various autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. However, the mechanisms by which cortisol modulates such signalling pathways remain uncertain. Leveraging summary-level data from the CORtisol NETwork (CORNET, n = 25,314) and FINRISK (n = 8293) genome-wide association studies, we used two-sample Mendelian randomisation to investigate the causal effect of genetically proxied morning cortisol levels on 42 circulating cytokines. We found that increased genetically proxied morning cortisol levels were associated with reduced levels of IL-8 and increased levels of MIF. These results provide mechanistic insight into the immunomodulatory effects of endogenous cortisol and the therapeutic effects of exogenous corticosteroids. Clinically, our findings underline the therapeutic importance of steroids in inflammatory conditions where IL-8 and MIF play a central pathophysiological role in the onset and progression of disease.
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20
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Abstract
Mendelian randomization (MR) is a method of studying the causal effects of modifiable exposures (i.e., potential risk factors) on health, social, and economic outcomes using genetic variants associated with the specific exposures of interest. MR provides a more robust understanding of the influence of these exposures on outcomes because germline genetic variants are randomly inherited from parents to offspring and, as a result, should not be related to potential confounding factors that influence exposure-outcome associations. The genetic variant can therefore be used as a tool to link the proposed risk factor and outcome, and to estimate this effect with less confounding and bias than conventional epidemiological approaches. We describe the scope of MR, highlighting the range of applications being made possible as genetic data sets and resources become larger and more freely available. We outline the MR approach in detail, covering concepts, assumptions, and estimation methods. We cover some common misconceptions, provide strategies for overcoming violation of assumptions, and discuss future prospects for extending the clinical applicability, methodological innovations, robustness, and generalizability of MR findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C Richmond
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom
| | - George Davey Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NU, United Kingdom
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21
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Karhunen V, Daghlas I, Zuber V, Vujkovic M, Olsen AK, Knudsen LB, Haynes WG, Howson JMM, Gill D. Leveraging human genetic data to investigate the cardiometabolic effects of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide signalling. Diabetologia 2021; 64:2773-2778. [PMID: 34505161 PMCID: PMC8563538 DOI: 10.1007/s00125-021-05564-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS The aim of this study was to leverage human genetic data to investigate the cardiometabolic effects of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) signalling. METHODS Data were obtained from summary statistics of large-scale genome-wide association studies. We examined whether genetic associations for type 2 diabetes liability in the GIP and GIPR genes co-localised with genetic associations for 11 cardiometabolic outcomes. For those outcomes that showed evidence of co-localisation (posterior probability >0.8), we performed Mendelian randomisation analyses to estimate the association of genetically proxied GIP signalling with risk of cardiometabolic outcomes, and to test whether this exceeded the estimate observed when considering type 2 diabetes liability variants from other regions of the genome. RESULTS Evidence of co-localisation with genetic associations of type 2 diabetes liability at both the GIP and GIPR genes was observed for five outcomes. Mendelian randomisation analyses provided evidence for associations of lower genetically proxied type 2 diabetes liability at the GIP and GIPR genes with lower BMI (estimate in SD units -0.16, 95% CI -0.30, -0.02), C-reactive protein (-0.13, 95% CI -0.19, -0.08) and triacylglycerol levels (-0.17, 95% CI -0.22, -0.12), and higher HDL-cholesterol levels (0.19, 95% CI 0.14, 0.25). For all of these outcomes, the estimates were greater in magnitude than those observed when considering type 2 diabetes liability variants from other regions of the genome. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION This study provides genetic evidence to support a beneficial role of sustained GIP signalling on cardiometabolic health greater than that expected from improved glycaemic control alone. Further clinical investigation is warranted. DATA AVAILABILITY All data used in this study are publicly available. The scripts for the analysis are available at: https://github.com/vkarhune/GeneticallyProxiedGIP .
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Affiliation(s)
- Ville Karhunen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Research Unit of Mathematical Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
| | | | - Verena Zuber
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marijana Vujkovic
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | - William G Haynes
- Novo Nordisk Research Centre Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
- Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Dipender Gill
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Novo Nordisk Research Centre Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK.
- Clinical Pharmacology Group, Pharmacy and Medicines Directorate, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
- Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Section, Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George's, University of London, London, UK.
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22
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Lu H, Wu PF, Ma DL, Zhang W, Sun M. Growth Factors and Their Roles in Multiple Sclerosis Risk. Front Immunol 2021; 12:768682. [PMID: 34745143 PMCID: PMC8566812 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.768682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies have suggested essential roles of growth factors on the risk of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), but it remains undefined whether the effects are causal. Objective We applied Mendelian randomization (MR) approaches to disentangle the causal relationship between genetically predicted circulating levels of growth factors and the risk of MS. Methods Genetic instrumental variables for fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23, growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), insulin growth factor 1 (IGF1), insulin-like growth factor binding proteins 3 (IGFBP3) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were obtained from up-to-date genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Summary-level statistics of MS were obtained from the International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium, incorporating 14,802 subjects with MS and 26,703 healthy controls of European ancestry. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) MR was used as the primary method and multiple sensitivity analyses were employed in this study. Results Genetically predicted circulating levels of FGF23 were associated with risk of MS. The odds ratio (OR) of IVW was 0.63 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49-0.82; p < 0.001) per one standard deviation increase in circulating FGF23 levels. Weighted median estimators also suggested FGF23 associated with lower MS risk (OR = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.51-0.87; p = 0.003). While MR-Egger approach provided no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy (intercept = -0.003, p = 0.95). Results of IVW methods provided no evidence for causal roles of GDF1, IGF1, IGFBP3 and VEGF on MS risks, and additional sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these null findings. Conclusion Our results implied a causal relationship between FGF23 and the risk of MS. Further studies are warranted to confirm FGF23 as a genetically valid target for MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Lu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Peng-Fei Wu
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Deng-Lei Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Meichen Sun
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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23
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Lee JM, Fernandez-Cadenas I, Lindgren AG. Using Human Genetics to Understand Mechanisms in Ischemic Stroke Outcome: From Early Brain Injury to Long-Term Recovery. Stroke 2021; 52:3013-3024. [PMID: 34399587 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.121.032622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is a critical need to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying brain injury, repair, and recovery following ischemic stroke-a global health problem with major social and economic impact. Despite 5 decades of intensive research, there are no widely accepted neuroprotective drugs that mitigate ischemic brain injury, or neuroreparative drugs, or personalized approaches that guide therapies to enhance recovery. We here explore novel reverse translational approaches that will complement traditional forward translational methods in identifying mechanisms relevant to human stroke outcome. Although genome-wide association studies have yielded over 30 genetic loci that influence ischemic stroke risk, only a few genome-wide association studies have been performed for stroke outcome. We discuss important considerations for genetic studies of ischemic stroke outcome-including carefully designed phenotypes that capture injury/recovery mechanisms, anchored in time to stroke onset. We also address recent genome-wide association studies that provide insight into mechanisms underlying brain injury and repair. There are several ongoing initiatives exploring genomic associations with novel phenotypes related to stroke outcome. To improve the understanding of the genetic architecture of ischemic stroke outcome, larger studies using standardized phenotypes, preferably embedded in standard-of-care measures, are needed. Novel techniques beyond genome-wide association studies-including exploiting informatics, multi-omics, and novel analytics-promise to uncover genetic and molecular pathways from which drug targets and other new interventions may be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Moo Lee
- The Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO (J.-M.L)
| | - Israel Fernandez-Cadenas
- Stroke Pharmacogenomics and Genetics Group, Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain (I.F.C.)
| | - Arne G Lindgren
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Neurology, Lund University, Sweden (A.G.L.).,Department of Neurology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden (A.G.L.)
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24
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Acosta JN, Szejko N, Falcone GJ. Mendelian Randomization in Stroke: A Powerful Approach to Causal Inference and Drug Target Validation. Front Genet 2021; 12:683082. [PMID: 34456968 PMCID: PMC8387928 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.683082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. However, our understanding of its underlying biology and the number of available treatment options remain limited. Mendelian randomization (MR) offers a powerful approach to identify novel biological pathways and therapeutic targets for this disease. Around ~100 MR studies have been conducted so far to explore, confirm, and quantify causal relationships between several exposures and risk of stroke. In this review, we summarize the current evidence arising from these studies, including those investigating ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, or both. We highlight the different types of exposures that are currently under study, ranging from well-known cardiovascular risk factors to less established inflammation-related mechanisms. Finally, we provide an overview of future avenues of research and novel approaches, including drug target validation MR, which is poised to have a substantial impact on drug development and drug repurposing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián N. Acosta
- Division of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology, Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Natalia Szejko
- Division of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology, Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Bioethics, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Guido J. Falcone
- Division of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology, Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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25
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Levin MG, Zuber V, Walker VM, Klarin D, Lynch J, Malik R, Aday AW, Bottolo L, Pradhan AD, Dichgans M, Chang KM, Rader DJ, Tsao PS, Voight BF, Gill D, Burgess S, Damrauer SM. Prioritizing the Role of Major Lipoproteins and Subfractions as Risk Factors for Peripheral Artery Disease. Circulation 2021; 144:353-364. [PMID: 34139859 PMCID: PMC8323712 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.121.053797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lipoprotein-related traits have been consistently identified as risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, largely on the basis of studies of coronary artery disease (CAD). The relative contributions of specific lipoproteins to the risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD) have not been well defined. We leveraged large-scale genetic association data to investigate the effects of circulating lipoprotein-related traits on PAD risk. METHODS Genome-wide association study summary statistics for circulating lipoprotein-related traits were used in the mendelian randomization bayesian model averaging framework to prioritize the most likely causal major lipoprotein and subfraction risk factors for PAD and CAD. Mendelian randomization was used to estimate the effect of apolipoprotein B (ApoB) lowering on PAD risk using gene regions proxying lipid-lowering drug targets. Genes relevant to prioritized lipoprotein subfractions were identified with transcriptome-wide association studies. RESULTS ApoB was identified as the most likely causal lipoprotein-related risk factor for both PAD (marginal inclusion probability, 0.86; P=0.003) and CAD (marginal inclusion probability, 0.92; P=0.005). Genetic proxies for ApoB-lowering medications were associated with reduced risk of both PAD (odds ratio,0.87 per 1-SD decrease in ApoB [95% CI, 0.84-0.91]; P=9×10-10) and CAD (odds ratio,0.66 [95% CI, 0.63-0.69]; P=4×10-73), with a stronger predicted effect of ApoB lowering on CAD (ratio of effects, 3.09 [95% CI, 2.29-4.60]; P<1×10-6). Extra-small very-low-density lipoprotein particle concentration was identified as the most likely subfraction associated with PAD risk (marginal inclusion probability, 0.91; P=2.3×10-4), whereas large low-density lipoprotein particle concentration was the most likely subfraction associated with CAD risk (marginal inclusion probability, 0.95; P=0.011). Genes associated with extra-small very-low-density lipoprotein particle and large low-density lipoprotein particle concentration included canonical ApoB pathway components, although gene-specific effects were variable. Lipoprotein(a) was associated with increased risk of PAD independently of ApoB (odds ratio, 1.04 [95% CI, 1.03-1.04]; P=1.0×10-33). CONCLUSIONS ApoB was prioritized as the major lipoprotein fraction causally responsible for both PAD and CAD risk. However, ApoB-lowering drug targets and ApoB-containing lipoprotein subfractions had diverse associations with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and distinct subfraction-associated genes suggest possible differences in the role of lipoproteins in the pathogenesis of PAD and CAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G. Levin
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (M.G.L.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Department of Medicine (M.G.L., K.-M.C., D.J.R.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA (M.G.L., K.-M.C., B.F.V., S.M.D.)
| | - Verena Zuber
- MRC Biostatistics Unit (V.Z., S.B.), School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (V.Z.), Imperial College London, UK
- Dementia Research Institute (V.Z.), Imperial College London, UK
| | - Venexia M. Walker
- Department of Surgery (V.M.W., S.M.D.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, UK (V.M.W.)
| | - Derek Klarin
- Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL (D.K.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville (D.K.)
| | - Julie Lynch
- VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure, Department of Veterans Affairs, Salt Lake City Health Care System, UT (J.L.)
- University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City (J.L.)
| | - Rainer Malik
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital of Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany (R.M.)
| | - Aaron W. Aday
- Vanderbilt Translational and Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN (A.W.A.)
| | - Leonardo Bottolo
- Department of Medical Genetics (L.B.), School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
- The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK (L.B.)
| | - Aruna D. Pradhan
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (A.D.P.)
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, VA Boston Medical Center, MA (A.D.P.)
| | - Martin Dichgans
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital of Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany (M.D.)
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany (M.D.)
| | - Kyong-Mi Chang
- Department of Medicine (M.G.L., K.-M.C., D.J.R.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA (M.G.L., K.-M.C., B.F.V., S.M.D.)
| | - Daniel J. Rader
- Department of Medicine (M.G.L., K.-M.C., D.J.R.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (D.J.R., B.F.V.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Department of Genetics (D.J.R., B.V.F.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Germany (D.J.R., B.F.V.)
| | - Philip S. Tsao
- Palo Alto VA Healthcare System, CA (P.S.T.)
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, and Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (P.S.T.)
| | - Benjamin F. Voight
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (D.J.R., B.F.V.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Department of Genetics (D.J.R., B.V.F.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics (B.V.F.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA (M.G.L., K.-M.C., B.F.V., S.M.D.)
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Germany (D.J.R., B.F.V.)
| | - Dipender Gill
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (D.G.), Imperial College London, UK
- Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Section, Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George’s, University of London, UK (D.G.)
- Novo Nordisk Research Centre Oxford, Old Road Campus, UK (D.G.)
| | - Stephen Burgess
- MRC Biostatistics Unit (V.Z., S.B.), School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
- BHF Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit (S.B.), School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Scott M. Damrauer
- Department of Surgery (V.M.W., S.M.D.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia
- Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA (M.G.L., K.-M.C., B.F.V., S.M.D.)
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