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The Causal Relationships Between Sleep-related Phenotypes and Body Composition: A Mendelian Randomized Study
Yujing Chen1, Chun'e Li1, Shiqiang Cheng1
1Key Laboratory of Trace Elements and Endemic Diseases of National Health and Family Planning Commission, Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases of Ministry of Education of China, Key Laboratory for Disease Prevention and Control and Health Promotion of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|April 18, 2022
Summary
This study reveals causal links between sleep issues like snoring and body composition, such as fat mass. These findings offer new insights into sleep disturbances and potential therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Sleep Science
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Obesity is linked to sleep disturbances, but causal relationships with body composition are unclear.
- Research on the bidirectional causality between sleep phenotypes and body composition is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential causal associations between sleep-related traits and body composition.
- To explore genetic correlations and causal links using advanced statistical methods.
Main Methods:
- Linkage Disequilibrium Score Regression (LDSC) for genetic correlation estimation.
- Two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) to assess causal effects.
- Bayesian colocalization (COLOC) to confirm causal variants and genes.
Main Results:
- Significant genetic correlations were found between snoring and right leg fat mass.
- MR analysis identified snoring as a causal risk factor for reduced whole-body fat-free mass.
- Dozing was identified as a causal risk factor for increased right leg and right arm fat mass.
- Right arm fat mass was found to be a causal risk factor for snoring.
- Colocalization analysis pinpointed genes like GDF5 and FTO involved in these relationships.
Conclusions:
- This study establishes causal relationships between specific sleep phenotypes and body composition metrics.
- Findings provide mechanistic insights into sleep disturbances and obesity.
- Identified genetic links may offer novel therapeutic targets for sleep and metabolic disorders.
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