Aldehyde reductase as potential measurement for retinitis pigmentosa: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study

This study aimed to utilize Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate potential genetic targets related to aldehyde metabolism in the context of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and to identify possible therapeutic options. Genome-wide association study data for RP were obtained for MR analysis. We employed various statistical methods, including inverse-variance weighted analysis, to evaluate potential causal associations with RP risk, followed by rigorous sensitivity analysis. Two-sample MR analysis identified a significant causal relationship between aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) aldehyde reductase and the risk of RP, with genetically predicted AFB1 aldehyde reductase contributing to a decreased risk of RP (odds ratio: 0.875; P = .008) based on inverse-variance weighted analysis. Sensitivity analysis suggested no evidence of heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy in the observed associations (P > .05). Additionally, the leave-one-out validation confirmed the robustness of these findings without significant alterations. The results from the reverse analysis for the causal relationship between the accidence of RP and AFB1 aldehyde reductase showed no significant statistical differences. Our findings highlighted the role of AFB1 aldehyde reductase in the pathogenesis of RP, proposing it as a promising protective measure for future treatment strategies.