Genetic causal relationship between gut microbiota and basal cell carcinoma: A two-sample mendelian randomization...

Area of Science:

• Microbiome research
• Cancer genomics
• Genetic epidemiology

Background:

• The gut microbiome (GM) is linked to various cancers, but its causal role in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) remains under-explored.
• Existing research has not utilized Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess the gut microbiota's influence on BCC development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To employ MR to investigate potential causal relationships between specific gut bacteria and BCC.
• To analyze the association between four key gut microbial groups (Bacteroides, Streptococcus, Proteobacteria, Lachnospiraceae) and the incidence of BCC.

Main Methods:

• Utilized genome-wide association study (GWAS) data and Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
• Employed the inverse variance weighted (IVW) model, supplemented by simple mode, weighted median, weighted mode, and MR-Egger methods.
• Assessed analysis reliability using heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy tests; MR-PRESSO was used for outlier detection and correction.

Main Results:

• No significant genetic causal relationship was found between Bacteroides, Streptococcus, Proteobacteria, or Lachnospiraceae and basal cell carcinoma (BCC).
• All tested microbial groups showed no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy, heterogeneity, or outliers in the MR analysis.
• Specific results: Bacteroides (OR=0.936, p=0.455), Streptococcus (OR=0.974, p=0.629), Proteobacteria (OR=1.113, p=0.106), Lachnospiraceae (OR=1.027, p=0.688).

Conclusions:

• The study concludes that the investigated gut bacteria (Bacteroides, Streptococcus, Proteobacteria, Lachnospiraceae) do not genetically influence the incidence of basal cell carcinoma (BCC).
• These findings contribute novel insights into the relationship between the gut microbiome and BCC, suggesting a lack of direct genetic causality from these specific microbes.