Unraveling the Causal Relationship Between Blood Metabolites and Acne: A Metabolomic Mendelian Randomization Study

Acne is a common skin disorder that may be linked to metabolic dysfunction. However, the causal impact of blood metabolites on acne has not been thoroughly investigated.

We performed a metabolome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis on 486 blood metabolites and acne using a genome-wide association dataset. The study included preliminary inverse-variance weighted (IVW) analysis, multivariable MR analysis, linkage disequilibrium score (LDSC) analysis, and colocalization analysis, along with reverse MR to address potential reverse causation.

Our analysis identified 12 metabolites significantly associated with acne. LDSC analysis revealed a genetic correlation between nonanoylcarnitine and acne. Colocalization analysis confirmed shared genetic variants, and metabolic pathway analysis implicated the arginine biosynthesis pathway and the selenocompound metabolism pathway in the development of acne.

This study offers a comprehensive understanding of the causal relationships between plasma metabolites and acne. The findings provide insights into potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for acne treatment, underscoring the need for further research.