Genetic Analyses Identify Human Serum Metabolites Associated With Risk of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A...

Aims/Background Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a widespread upper esophagogastric disease with incompletely understood biological mechanisms. Emerging evidence supports a complex link between GERD and metabolic markers. Therefore, Mendelian randomization (MR), an innovative genomic approach, was used to evaluate the causal impacts of serum metabolites on GERD, aiming to identify novel biomarkers and elucidate underlying metabolic pathways. Methods A two-sample MR framework was employed to examine causal relationships between circulating metabolites and GERD. Genetic instruments for 486 metabolic traits were derived from a comprehensive metabolomics genome-wide association study (GWAS), with disease outcome data from GERD cohorts. Primary causal inference was conducted using the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, supported by complementary and sensitivity analyses to validate the reliability of the findings. The analytical framework incorporated multiple validation approaches, including replication, meta-analysis, linkage disequilibrium score regression, colocalization analysis, reverse MR analysis, and multivariable MR analysis. Systematic pathway analysis was employed to elucidate associated pathways and underlying disease mechanisms. Results The IVW analysis identified 32 causal associations between serum metabolites and GERD. Through subsequent sensitive analyses, robust causal links were identified between 13 metabolites and GERD. By applying several advanced approaches, such as replication, meta-analysis, linkage disequilibrium score regression, colocalization analyses, reverse MR analysis, and multivariable MR analysis, two metabolites, adrenate (22:4n6) and 2-palmitoylglycerophosphocholine, were confirmed to have stable and independent impacts on GERD. Pathway analysis revealed that three metabolic pathways, such as tryptophan metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, and carnitine synthesis, exhibited significant association with GERD. Conclusion Using integrative genomics and metabolomics approaches, this study provides evidence supporting the causal influence of two serum metabolites and three metabolic pathways on GERD, highlighting the potential of these metabolites as promising biomarkers for early screening, diagnosis, and targeted treatment strategies. Moreover, these findings underscore the significance of integrating genomics and metabolomics in understanding disease pathophysiology.