The Causal Relationship Between Circulating Inflammatory Proteins and Tinnitus: A Mendelian Randomization Study...

Tinnitus is a complex disease whose pathophysiological mechanisms are still not fully elucidated. Dysregulation of circulating inflammatory proteins and metabolites is thought to play a crucial role in tinnitus pathophysiology, but the causal relationships and specific biological pathways linking these factors to tinnitus persistence remain unestablished.

We performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using tinnitus genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from FinnGen biobanking and GWAS data from metabolites and circulating inflammatory factors in GWAS directories. For the identified key metabolites, we further investigated their mediating role in the effects on tinnitus using mediator MR. We explored potential mechanisms through protein-protein interaction and functional enrichment analyses.

MR analysis showed that Chemokine (C-C motif) Ligand 19 (CCL19) (OR = 1.071; 95% CI, 1.006-1.141; p = 0.032) was positively correlated with tinnitus. In addition, MR analysis identified 14 serum metabolites significantly associated with tinnitus. Among the metabolites, pantothenate (OR = 1.047; 95% CI, 1.012-1.082; p = 0.007) may play a critical mediating role in CCL19-induced tinnitus. Protein-protein interaction and functional enrichment analysis showed that CCL19 may promote tinnitus through extensive interactions with genes related to pantothenic acid metabolism, such as Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and Scavenger Receptor Class B, Member 1 (SCARB1), by promoting oxidative stress and inflammation. And the downstream inflammation-related pathways of pantothenate (such as Toll-like receptor, NF-κB, etc.).

This first MR-based evidence establishes CCL19-pantothenate axis dysfunction as a causal driver of tinnitus, prioritizing these biomarkers for early detection. It also revealed the pivotal role of circulating inflammatory proteins and metabolic dysregulation in the pathogenesis of tinnitus. The findings provide new evidence-based medical support for specific circulating inflammatory proteins and metabolites as biomarkers for early tinnitus prediction and risk assessment. They also offer valuable insights for subsequent research on tinnitus pathophysiological mechanisms and precision medicine applications.