The Causal Role of Circulating Inflammatory Cytokines in Brain Tumors: Insights from Genetic Epidemiology

Previous studies indicate associations between inflammatory cytokines and glioma, meningioma, and astrocytoma.

We conducted two-sample Mendelian randomization with genetic data for tumors from FinnGen R10 and cytokine data from GWAS. Primary analysis used inverse variance weighting, supplemented by sensitivity analyses including weighted median, simple mode, weighted mode, and MR-Egger.

For glioma, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) was a risk factor, while Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) was protective. For meningioma, Axin-1 and Matrix metalloproteinase-1 were risk factors, whereas Fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand was protective. For astrocytoma, risk factors included Eotaxin, Macrophage colony-stimulating factor 1, and Interleukin-8; protective factors were T-cell surface glycoprotein CD5 and Tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 12.

This Mendelian randomization study identified specific inflammatory cytokines associated with these tumors, providing direction for future mechanistic research.