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Uncovering Novel Atrial Fibrillation Genetics Through Pleiotropic Overlap with Life's Essential 8
Jingxian Wu1, Xueying Qin1,2, Shuting Xie1
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Biomedicines
|June 26, 2026
Summary
This study reveals shared genetic factors between atrial fibrillation (AF) and Life's Essential 8 (LE8) health metrics, identifying novel risk loci and advancing understanding of AF etiology.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Genetics
- Polygenic Disorders
- Genomic Epidemiology
Background:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a complex polygenic disorder with incompletely understood genetic underpinnings.
- The genetic architecture of AF is influenced by cardiometabolic and behavioral factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the shared genetic architecture between AF and Life's Essential 8 (LE8) components.
- To identify novel genetic loci and biological mechanisms contributing to AF etiology through pleiotropy.
Main Methods:
- Utilized LD score regression to estimate genetic correlations between AF and LE8 traits.
- Applied conditional false discovery rate and colocalization analyses to identify shared loci.
- Prioritized candidate genes using region-based annotation and functional predictors.
Main Results:
- Significant genetic correlations were found between AF and all LE8 components.
- Identified 970 pleiotropic loci and 137 distinct colocalized regions shared between AF and LE8 traits.
- Prioritized 164 candidate genes, including 40 novel ones, enriched in cardiac development and contraction pathways.
- Blood pressure showed the most extensive shared genetic architecture with AF.
Conclusions:
- Established a genetic pleiotropy-informed framework for discovering novel AF risk loci.
- Advanced understanding of shared genetic architecture and biological mechanisms between AF and LE8 components.
- Polygenic risk scores from shared loci associated with AF, arrhythmia, and heart failure.
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