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Published on: August 16, 2019
Blood and urine biomarkers and myocardial infarction: A 2-sample and multivariate combination of Mendelian
Yu Ding1, Haoyang Ling2, Xiuyan Chen1
1College of Acupuncture Moxibustion and Massage, Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, China.
Insights
This study identified eight blood and urine biomarkers, including apolipoprotein B (APOB), linked to increased myocardial infarction (MI) risk. These findings offer new avenues for MI prevention and diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Genetics
- Biomarker Discovery
- Metabolomics
Background:
- Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of death globally, with current diagnostics often lacking preventative insights.
- Early detection of cardiovascular diseases relies on blood and urine tests, but genetic predispositions require further investigation.
- Mendelian randomization (MR) is a powerful tool for exploring genetic links between traits and diseases, aiding in identifying therapeutic targets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic associations between 35 blood and urine biomarkers and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI).
- To identify specific biomarkers causally linked to MI development using genetic data.
- To explore the underlying gene pathways and networks involved in MI pathogenesis through identified biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using UK Biobank and Finnish data (26,060 MI cases, 343,079 controls).
- Four MR methods (inverse variance weighted, MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode) were employed, with inverse variance weighted used for final causal associations.
- Sensitivity analyses, MR-PRESSO, PhenoScanner, and multivariate MR were utilized to ensure result validity and identify key genetic drivers.
Main Results:
- A significant positive genetic association was found between eight blood and urine biomarker levels and elevated MI risk.
- Key biomarkers identified include apolipoprotein B (APOB), glycated hemoglobin, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, sex hormone-binding globulin, triglycerides, and urate.
- APOB, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol were found to selectively influence MI risk, with APOB playing a crucial role in collaboration with other genes.
Conclusions:
- The study establishes a causal relationship between specific blood and urine biomarkers and MI risk.
- Identified biomarkers, particularly APOB, provide novel insights into MI pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.
- These findings support the use of blood and urine marker tests for early MI detection and understanding disease mechanisms.
Abstract:
Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the most serious cardiovascular diseases in the world. Nevertheless, the majority of diagnostic procedures conducted subsequent to the illness do not provide any means to prevent several risks associated with MI. Blood and urine tests are frequently employed in clinical examinations to detect cardiovascular diseases at an early stage. Mendelian randomization (MR) is commonly employed to explore disease-trait relationships and uncover therapeutic targets. Our goal was to explore the genetic links between 35 blood and urine biomarkers and MI. Blood and urine biomarker MR correlations with MI risk were studied. In version R10, the UK Biobank and Finnish databases included blood and urine marker data and MI data (26,060 cases and 343,079 controls). We performed bidirectional 2-sample MR with 4 methods: inverse variance weighted, MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode. Final causal associations were determined by inverse variance weighted. Sensitivity analyses (heterogeneity, pleiotropy) were conducted. MR-PRESSO and PhenoScanner were used to exclude invalid instruments. We used multivariate MR to filter the most important genes without including other positive genes. To identify positive gene pathways and gene networks that cause MI, we employed GeneMANIA for gene prediction. The findings revealed a positive genetic association between the 8 blood and urine biomarker levels and an elevated risk of MI. There are apolipoprotein B (APOB), glycated hemoglobin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, sex hormone-binding globulin, triglycerides, and urate. Moreover, APOB, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol selectively affect MI through the rejection of other positive gene stems. Finally, APOB and numerous genes strongly impact MI development. APOB collaborates with related genes to regulate plasma lipoprotein particle levels, sterol homeostasis, organization, lipid homeostasis, and remodeling in MI. Our research further reveals the causal relationship between MI and blood/urine biomarkers, providing a new perspective for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of MI. Blood and urine marker tests can subsequently be conducted based on these results to detect MI and study the underlying mechanisms linking these metabolites to MI.
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