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Astore C, Gibson G. Integrative polygenic analysis of the protective effects of fatty acid metabolism on disease as modified by obesity. Front Nutr 2024; 10:1308622. [PMID: 38303904 PMCID: PMC10832455 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1308622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of fatty acid metabolites can play a crucial role in the progression of complex diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, digestive diseases, and metabolic diseases. Metabolites can have either protective or risk effects on a disease; however, the details of such associations remain contentious. In this study, we demonstrate an integrative PheWAS approach to establish high confidence, causally suggestive of metabolite-disease associations for three fatty acid metabolites, namely, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and docosahexaenoic acid, for 1,254 disease endpoints. Metabolite-disease associations were established if there was a concordant direction of effect and significance for metabolite level and genetic risk score for the metabolite. There was enrichment for metabolite associations with diseases of the respiratory system for omega-3 fatty acids, diseases of the circulatory system and endocrine system for omega-6 fatty acids, and diseases of the digestive system for docosahexaenoic acid. Upon performing Mendelian randomization on a subset of the outcomes, we identified 3, 6, and 15 significant diseases associated with omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and docosahexaenoic acid, respectively. We then demonstrate a class of prevalence-risk relationships indicative of (de)canalization of disease under high and low fatty acid metabolite levels. Finally, we show that the interaction between the metabolites and obesity demonstrates that the degree of protection afforded by fatty acid metabolites is strongly modulated by underlying metabolic health. This study evaluated the disease architectures of three polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which were validated by several PheWAS modes of support. Our results not only highlight specific diseases associated with each metabolite but also disease group enrichments. In addition, we demonstrate an integrative PheWAS methodology that can be applied to other components of the human metabolome or other traits of interest. The results of this study can be used as an atlas to cross-compare genetic with non-genetic disease associations for the three PUFAs investigated. The findings can be explored through our R shiny app at https://pufa.biosci.gatech.edu.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Greg Gibson
- Center for Integrative Genomics and School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Potenza A, Gorla G, Carrozzini T, Bersano A, Gatti L, Pollaci G. Lipidomic Approaches in Common and Rare Cerebrovascular Diseases: The Discovery of Unconventional Lipids as Novel Biomarkers. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12744. [PMID: 37628924 PMCID: PMC10454673 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke remains a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Identifying new circulating biomarkers able to distinguish and monitor common and rare cerebrovascular diseases that lead to stroke is of great importance. Biomarkers provide complementary information that may improve diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of progression as well. Furthermore, biomarkers can contribute to filling the gap in knowledge concerning the underlying disease mechanisms by pointing out novel potential therapeutic targets for personalized medicine. If many "conventional" lipid biomarkers are already known to exert a relevant role in cerebrovascular diseases, the aim of our study is to review novel "unconventional" lipid biomarkers that have been recently identified in common and rare cerebrovascular disorders using novel, cutting-edge lipidomic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Potenza
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and UCV, Neurology IX Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.P.); (G.G.); (T.C.); (G.P.)
| | - Gemma Gorla
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and UCV, Neurology IX Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.P.); (G.G.); (T.C.); (G.P.)
| | - Tatiana Carrozzini
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and UCV, Neurology IX Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.P.); (G.G.); (T.C.); (G.P.)
| | - Anna Bersano
- Cerebrovascular Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Laura Gatti
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and UCV, Neurology IX Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.P.); (G.G.); (T.C.); (G.P.)
| | - Giuliana Pollaci
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and UCV, Neurology IX Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, Italy; (A.P.); (G.G.); (T.C.); (G.P.)
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
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Chen S, Cong R, Chen Y, Li X, Zhang X, Wang G, Pang X, Xing W, Wang Y, Xu X. Effects of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Serum Levels on Vascular Dementia: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study. Cerebrovasc Dis 2023; 53:261-269. [PMID: 37482052 DOI: 10.1159/000531861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several observational studies have indicated that polyunsaturated fatty acid serum levels (PUFAs) are associated with vascular dementia (VaD), but their causal relationships remain elusive. Therefore, we attempted to evaluate the causal effect of PUFAs on VaD in a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis by using summary statistics from aggregated genome-wide association studies. METHODS The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was performed as the primary analysis. Sensitivity analyses (MR-Egger regression, weighted median, penalized weighted median, and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier methods) were also implemented to estimate the effects of potential violations of MR hypotheses. RESULTS No causality was found for PUFAs (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-1.42; p = 0.25) on VaD in the IVW model. The results were consistent in sensitivity analyses. There was no notable horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity. CONCLUSION In this two-sample MR analysis, our findings did not support the assumption that PUFAs play causal role in the occurrence or development of VaD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Chen
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Ruyi Cong
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Yongbo Chen
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoliang Li
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Guohua Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, China
| | - Xiuyu Pang
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Weijia Xing
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Youxin Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Centre for Precision Medicine, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Washington, Australia
| | - Xizhu Xu
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, China
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Taian, China
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Zeng L, Lv H, Wang X, Xue R, Zhou C, Liu X, Yu H. Causal effects of fatty acids on depression: Mendelian randomization study. Front Nutr 2022; 9:1010476. [PMID: 36562041 PMCID: PMC9763462 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1010476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Fatty acids (FA) are widely believed to play a role in the pathophysiology of depression. However, the causal relationships between FA and depression remain elusive and warrant further research. We aimed to investigate the potential causal relationship between FA [saturated fatty acids (SFA), mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)] and the risk of depression using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods We conducted a two-sample MR analysis using large-scale European-based genome-wide association studies (GWASs) summary data related to depression (n = 500,199 individuals) and FA [saturated fatty acids (SFA), mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)] levels. MR analysis was performed using the Wald ratio and inverse variance-weighted (IVW) methods, and sensitivity analysis was conducted by the simple mode, weighted mode, weighted median method, and MR-Egger method. Results We found the causal effects for the levels of oleic acid (OA; OR = 1.07, p = 5.72 × 10-4), adrenic acid (OR = 0.74, p = 1.01 × 10-3), α-linolenic acid (ALA; OR = 2.52, p = 1.01 × 10-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; OR = 0.84, p = 3.11 × 10-3) on depression risk, after Bonferroni correction. The sensitivity analyses indicated similar trends. No causal effect between the levels of SFA and depression risk was observed. Conclusion Our study suggests that adrenic acid and EPA are protective against the risk of depression, while OA and ALA are potential risk factors for depression. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms that mediate the association between these FAs and depression risk should be investigated in further experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingsi Zeng
- Department of Psychiatry, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Honggang Lv
- Department of Psychiatry, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Xubo Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Shandong Daizhuang Hospital, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Ranran Xue
- Department of Psychiatry, Shandong Daizhuang Hospital, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Cong Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Xia Liu
- Department of Sleep Medicine, Shandong Daizhuang Hospital, Jining, Shandong, China,Xia Liu,
| | - Hao Yu
- Department of Psychiatry, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, China,*Correspondence: Hao Yu,
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Borges MC, Haycock P, Zheng J, Hemani G, Howe LJ, Schmidt AF, Staley JR, Lumbers RT, Henry A, Lemaitre RN, Gaunt TR, Holmes MV, Davey Smith G, Hingorani AD, Lawlor DA. The impact of fatty acids biosynthesis on the risk of cardiovascular diseases in Europeans and East Asians: a Mendelian randomization study. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:4034-4054. [PMID: 35796550 PMCID: PMC9703943 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite early interest, the evidence linking fatty acids to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remains controversial. We used Mendelian randomization to explore the involvement of polyunsaturated (PUFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids biosynthesis in the etiology of several CVD endpoints in up to 1 153 768 European (maximum 123 668 cases) and 212 453 East Asian (maximum 29 319 cases) ancestry individuals. As instruments, we selected single nucleotide polymorphisms mapping to genes with well-known roles in PUFA (i.e. FADS1/2 and ELOVL2) and MUFA (i.e. SCD) biosynthesis. Our findings suggest that higher PUFA biosynthesis rate (proxied by rs174576 near FADS1/2) is related to higher odds of multiple CVDs, particularly ischemic stroke, peripheral artery disease and venous thromboembolism, whereas higher MUFA biosynthesis rate (proxied by rs603424 near SCD) is related to lower odds of coronary artery disease among Europeans. Results were unclear for East Asians as most effect estimates were imprecise. By triangulating multiple approaches (i.e. uni-/multi-variable Mendelian randomization, a phenome-wide scan, genetic colocalization and within-sibling analyses), our results are compatible with higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (and possibly glucose) being a downstream effect of higher PUFA biosynthesis rate. Our findings indicate that PUFA and MUFA biosynthesis are involved in the etiology of CVDs and suggest LDL cholesterol as a potential mediating trait between PUFA biosynthesis and CVDs risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Carolina Borges
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PN, UK
| | - Phillip Haycock
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PN, UK
| | - Jie Zheng
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PN, UK
| | - Gibran Hemani
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PN, UK
| | - Laurence J Howe
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PN, UK
| | - A Floriaan Schmidt
- Faculty of Population Health Sciences, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
- Department of Cardiology, Division Heart and Lungs, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3584 CX, The Netherlands
| | - James R Staley
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PN, UK
| | - R Thomas Lumbers
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London NW1 2DA, UK
- Health Data Research UK London, University College London NW1 2DA, UK
- UCL British Heart Foundation Research Accelerator, London NW1 2DA, UK
| | - Albert Henry
- Faculty of Population Health Sciences, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London NW1 2DA, UK
- UCL British Heart Foundation Research Accelerator, London NW1 2DA, UK
| | - Rozenn N Lemaitre
- Cardiovascular Health Research Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA WA 98101, USA
| | - Tom R Gaunt
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PN, UK
| | - Michael V Holmes
- Medical Research Council Population Health Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
- Clinical Trial Service and Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | - George Davey Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PN, UK
| | - Aroon D Hingorani
- Faculty of Population Health Sciences, Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London WC1E 6DD, UK
- Health Data Research UK London, University College London NW1 2DA, UK
- UCL British Heart Foundation Research Accelerator, London NW1 2DA, UK
| | - Deborah A Lawlor
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PN, UK
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
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Sanders AE, Weatherspoon ED, Ehrmann BM, Soma PS, Shaikh SR, Preisser JS, Ohrbach R, Fillingim RB, Slade GD. Circulating polyunsaturated fatty acids, pressure pain thresholds, and nociplastic pain conditions. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2022; 184:102476. [PMID: 35908377 PMCID: PMC10363286 DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2022.102476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play a role in pain regulation. This study sought to determine whether free PUFAs found in red blood cells also play a role in nociceptive processing. We examined associations between circulating PUFAs and nociceptive thresholds to noxious mechanical stimuli. We also determined whether nociceptive thresholds were associated with nociplastic pain conditions. METHODS This cross-sectional study used stored red bloods cells and data from 605 adult participants in the OPPERA-2 study of chronic overlapping pain conditions. In OPPERA-2 adults completed quantitative sensory testing in which pressure algometry measured deep muscular tissue sensitivity at six anatomical sites. Standardized protocols classified adults for presence or absence of five nociplastic pain conditions: temporomandibular disorder, headache, low back pain, irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy quantified erythrocyte PUFAs. We conducted three sets of analyses. First, a multivariable linear regression model assessed the association between n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio and the number of overlapping nociplastic pain conditions. Second, a series of 36 multivariable linear regression models assessed covariate-adjusted associations between PUFAs and nociceptive thresholds at each of six anatomical sites. Third, a series of 30 multivariable linear regression models assessed covariate-adjusted associations between nociceptive thresholds at six anatomical sites and each of five pain conditions. RESULTS In multiple linear regression, each unit increase in n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio was associated with more pain conditions (β = 0.30, 95% confidence limits: 0.07, 0.53, p = 0.012). Omega-6 linoleic acid and arachidonic acid were negatively associated with lower nociceptive thresholds at three and at five, respectively, anatomical sites. In contrast, omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio were not associated with nociceptive thresholds at any site. Pain cases had significantly lower nociceptive thresholds than non-case controls at all anatomical sites. CONCLUSION A higher n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio was associated with more pain conditions. Omega-6 PUFAs may promote a generalized upregulation of nociceptive processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Sanders
- Division of Pediatric and Public Health, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America.
| | - E Diane Weatherspoon
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Brandie M Ehrmann
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Paul S Soma
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Saame R Shaikh
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health and School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - John S Preisser
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Richard Ohrbach
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, United States of America
| | - Roger B Fillingim
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States of America; Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States of America
| | - Gary D Slade
- Division of Pediatric and Public Health, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
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Genome-Wide Studies in Ischaemic Stroke: Are Genetics Only Useful for Finding Genes? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126840. [PMID: 35743317 PMCID: PMC9224543 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ischaemic stroke is a complex disease with some degree of heritability. This means that heritability factors, such as genetics, could be risk factors for ischaemic stroke. The era of genome-wide studies has revealed some of these heritable risk factors, although the data generated by these studies may also be useful in other disciplines. Analysis of these data can be used to understand the biological mechanisms associated with stroke risk and stroke outcome, to determine the causality between stroke and other diseases without the need for expensive clinical trials, or to find potential drug targets with higher success rates than other strategies. In this review we will discuss several of the most relevant studies regarding the genetics of ischaemic stroke and the potential use of the data generated.
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Sun Y, Chatterjee R, Ronanki A, Ye K. Circulating Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and COVID-19: A Prospective Cohort Study and Mendelian Randomization Analysis. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:923746. [PMID: 35783629 PMCID: PMC9243664 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.923746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Higher circulating polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially omega-3 fatty acids, have been linked to a better prognosis in patients of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the effects and causality of pre-infection PUFA levels remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the observational and causal associations of circulating PUFAs with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. We first performed a prospective cohort study in UK Biobank, with 20,626 controls who were tested negative and 4,101 COVID-19 patients, including 970 hospitalized ones. Plasma PUFAs at baseline (blood samples collected from 2007 to 2010) were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance, including total PUFAs, omega-3 PUFAs, omega-6 PUFAs, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), linoleic acid (LA), and the omega-6/omega-3 ratio. Moreover, going beyond UK Biobank, we leveraged summary statistics from existing genome-wide association studies to perform bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to examine the causal associations of eight individual PUFAs, measured in either plasma or red blood cells, with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. In the observational association analysis of each PUFA measure separately, total, omega-3, and omega-6 PUFAs, DHA, and LA were associated with a lower risk of severe COVID-19. Omega-3 PUFAs and DHA were also associated with a lower risk of testing positive for COVID-19. The omega-6/omega-3 ratio was positively associated with risks of both susceptibility and severity. When omega-6, omega-3, and their ratio are jointly analyzed, only omega-3 PUFAs remained significantly and inversely associated with both susceptibility and severity. The forward MR analysis indicated that docosapentaenoic acid (DPA-n3) and arachidonic acid (AA) might be causally associated with a lower risk of severe COVID-19, with OR (95% CI) per one SD increase in the plasma level as 0.89 (0.81, 0.99) and 0.96 (0.94, 0.99), respectively. The reverse MR analysis did not support any causal effect of COVID-19 on PUFAs. Our observational analysis supported that higher circulating omega-3 PUFAs, especially DHA, may lower the susceptibility to and alleviate the severity of COVID-19. Our MR analysis further supported causal associations of DPA-n3 and AA with a lower risk of severe COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yitang Sun
- Department of Genetics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Radhika Chatterjee
- Department of Genetics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Akash Ronanki
- Department of Genetics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Kaixiong Ye
- Department of Genetics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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Borges MC, Haycock PC, Zheng J, Hemani G, Holmes MV, Davey Smith G, Hingorani AD, Lawlor DA. Role of circulating polyunsaturated fatty acids on cardiovascular diseases risk: analysis using Mendelian randomization and fatty acid genetic association data from over 114,000 UK Biobank participants. BMC Med 2022; 20:210. [PMID: 35692035 PMCID: PMC9190170 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02399-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite early interest in the health effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), there is still substantial controversy and uncertainty on the evidence linking PUFA to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). We investigated the effect of plasma concentration of omega-3 PUFA (i.e. docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and total omega-3 PUFA) and omega-6 PUFA (i.e. linoleic acid and total omega-6 PUFA) on the risk of CVDs using Mendelian randomization. METHODS We conducted the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) of circulating PUFA to date including a sample of 114,999 individuals and incorporated these data in a two-sample Mendelian randomization framework to investigate the involvement of circulating PUFA on a wide range of CVDs in up to 1,153,768 individuals of European ancestry (i.e. coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, aortic aneurysm, venous thromboembolism and aortic valve stenosis). RESULTS GWAS identified between 46 and 64 SNPs for the four PUFA traits, explaining 4.8-7.9% of circulating PUFA variance and with mean F statistics >100. Higher genetically predicted DHA (and total omega-3 fatty acids) concentration was related to higher risk of some cardiovascular endpoints; however, these findings did not pass our criteria for multiple testing correction and were attenuated when accounting for LDL-cholesterol through multivariable Mendelian randomization or excluding SNPs in the vicinity of the FADS locus. Estimates for the relation between higher genetically predicted linoleic acid (and total omega-6) concentration were inconsistent across different cardiovascular endpoints and Mendelian randomization methods. There was weak evidence of higher genetically predicted linoleic acid being related to lower risk of ischemic stroke and peripheral artery disease when accounting by LDL-cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS We have conducted the largest GWAS of circulating PUFA to date and the most comprehensive Mendelian randomization analyses. Overall, our Mendelian randomization findings do not support a protective role of circulating PUFA concentration on the risk of CVDs. However, horizontal pleiotropy via lipoprotein-related traits could be a key source of bias in our analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carolina Borges
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK.
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Philip C Haycock
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Jie Zheng
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Gibran Hemani
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Michael V Holmes
- MRC Population Health Research Unit (MRC PHRU), Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - George Davey Smith
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Aroon D Hingorani
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Faculty of Population Health Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- UCL BHF Research Accelerator, London, UK
- Health Data Research UK, Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
- UCL NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Deborah A Lawlor
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, Bristol, UK
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10
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Sun Y, Chatterjee R, Ronanki A, Ye K. Circulating polyunsaturated fatty acids and COVID-19: a prospective cohort study and Mendelian randomization analysis. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2022. [PMID: 35169810 PMCID: PMC8845430 DOI: 10.1101/2022.02.06.22270562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background: Higher circulating polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially omega-3 ones, have been linked to a better prognosis in patients of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the effects and causality of pre-infection PUFA levels remain unclear. Objective: To investigate the observational and causal associations of circulating PUFAs with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. Design: We first performed a prospective cohort study in UK Biobank, with 20,626 controls who were tested negative and 4,101 COVID-19 patients, including 970 hospitalized ones. Plasma PUFAs at baseline were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance, including total PUFAs, omega-3 PUFAs, omega-6 PUFAs, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), linoleic acid (LA), and the omega-6/omega-3 ratio. Moreover, bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were performed to examine the causal associations of eight individual PUFAs, measured in either plasma or red blood cells, with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity using summary statistics from existing genome-wide association studies. Results: In the observational association analysis, total PUFAs, omega-3 PUFAs, omega-6 PUFAs, DHA, and LA were associated with a lower risk of severe COVID-19. Omega-3 PUFAs and DHA were also associated with a lower risk of testing positive for COVID-19. The omega-6/omega-3 ratio was positively associated with risks of both susceptibility and severity. The forward MR analysis indicated that arachidonic acid (AA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA-n3) might be causally associated with a lower risk of severe COVID-19, with OR (95% CI) per one SD increase in the plasma level as 0.96 (0.94, 0.99) and 0.89 (0.81, 0.99), respectively. The reverse MR analysis did not support any causal effect of COVID-19 on PUFAs. Conclusions: Our observational analysis supported that higher circulating PUFAs, either omega-3 or omega-6, are protective against severe COVID-19, while omega-3 PUFAs, especially DHA, were also associated with reducing COVID-19 susceptibility. Our MR analysis further supported causal associations of AA and DPA-n3 with a lower risk of severe COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yitang Sun
- Department of Genetics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Radhika Chatterjee
- Department of Genetics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Akash Ronanki
- Department of Genetics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kaixiong Ye
- Department of Genetics, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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11
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Zhou Y, Khan H, Xiao J, Cheang WS. Effects of Arachidonic Acid Metabolites on Cardiovascular Health and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12029. [PMID: 34769460 PMCID: PMC8584625 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222112029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Arachidonic acid (AA) is an essential fatty acid that is released by phospholipids in cell membranes and metabolized by cyclooxygenase (COX), cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, and lipid oxygenase (LOX) pathways to regulate complex cardiovascular function under physiological and pathological conditions. Various AA metabolites include prostaglandins, prostacyclin, thromboxanes, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, leukotrienes, lipoxins, and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids. The AA metabolites play important and differential roles in the modulation of vascular tone, and cardiovascular complications including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and myocardial infarction upon actions to different receptors and vascular beds. This article reviews the roles of AA metabolism in cardiovascular health and disease as well as their potential therapeutic implication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhou
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau 999078, China;
| | - Haroon Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan 23200, Pakistan;
| | - Jianbo Xiao
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain;
- International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Wai San Cheang
- Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau 999078, China;
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12
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Tomata Y, Wang Y, Hägg S, Jylhävä J. Fatty Acids and Frailty: A Mendelian Randomization Study. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13103539. [PMID: 34684540 PMCID: PMC8541183 DOI: 10.3390/nu13103539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Observational studies have suggested that fatty acids such as higher levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may prevent frailty. By using Mendelian randomization analysis, we examined the relationship between fatty acids and frailty. METHODS We used summary statistics data for single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with plasma levels of saturated fatty acids (palmitic acid, stearic acid), mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) (palmitoleic acid, oleic acid), n-6 PUFAs (linoleic acid, arachidonic acid), and n-3 PUFAs (alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid), and the corresponding data for frailty index (FI) in 356,432 individuals in the UK Biobank. RESULTS Although there were no robust associations on the MUFAs or the PUFAs, genetically predicted higher plasma stearic acid level (one of saturated fatty acids) was statistically significantly associated with higher FI (β = 0.178; 95% confidence interval = -0.050 to 0.307; p = 0.007). Such a relationship was also observed in a multivariate MR (β = 0.361; 95% confidence interval = 0.155 to 0.567; p = 0.001). Genetically predicted higher palmitic acid was also significantly associated with higher FI (β = 0.288; 95% confidence interval = 0.128 to 0.447; p < 0.001) in the multivariate MR analysis. CONCLUSIONS The present MR study implies that saturated fatty acids, especially stearic acid, is a risk factor of frailty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasutake Tomata
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; (Y.W.); (S.H.); (J.J.)
- Faculty of Health and Social Services, School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Kanagawa University of Human Services, Yokosuka 238-8522, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +46-08-524-800-00
| | - Yunzhang Wang
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; (Y.W.); (S.H.); (J.J.)
| | - Sara Hägg
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; (Y.W.); (S.H.); (J.J.)
| | - Juulia Jylhävä
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; (Y.W.); (S.H.); (J.J.)
- Gerontology Research Center (GEREC), Faculty of Social Sciences (Health Sciences), University of Tampere, 33014 Tampere, Finland
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13
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Acosta JN, Szejko N, Falcone GJ. Mendelian Randomization in Stroke: A Powerful Approach to Causal Inference and Drug Target Validation. Front Genet 2021; 12:683082. [PMID: 34456968 PMCID: PMC8387928 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.683082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. However, our understanding of its underlying biology and the number of available treatment options remain limited. Mendelian randomization (MR) offers a powerful approach to identify novel biological pathways and therapeutic targets for this disease. Around ~100 MR studies have been conducted so far to explore, confirm, and quantify causal relationships between several exposures and risk of stroke. In this review, we summarize the current evidence arising from these studies, including those investigating ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, or both. We highlight the different types of exposures that are currently under study, ranging from well-known cardiovascular risk factors to less established inflammation-related mechanisms. Finally, we provide an overview of future avenues of research and novel approaches, including drug target validation MR, which is poised to have a substantial impact on drug development and drug repurposing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián N. Acosta
- Division of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology, Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Natalia Szejko
- Division of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology, Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Bioethics, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Guido J. Falcone
- Division of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology, Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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Zhang T, Au Yeung SL, Schooling CM. Associations of Arachidonic Acid Synthesis with Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Relation to Ischemic Heart Disease and Stroke: A Univariable and Multivariable Mendelian Randomization Study. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13051489. [PMID: 33924871 PMCID: PMC8146807 DOI: 10.3390/nu13051489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Arachidonic acid (AA), a major long-chain omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, is associated with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke. We assessed bi-directional associations of AA synthesis reflected by plasma phospholipid AA with CVD risk factors, and identified mediators of associations of AA with IHD and stroke using Mendelian randomization (MR). We used two-sample MR to assess bi-directional associations of AA synthesis with lipids, blood pressure, adiposity, and markers of inflammation and coagulation. We used multivariable MR to assess mediators of associations of AA with IHD and stroke. Genetically predicted AA (% of total fatty acids increase) was positively associated with apolipoprotein B (ApoB, 0.022 standard deviations (SD), 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.010, 0.034), high-density (0.030 SD, 95% CI 0.012, 0.049) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, 0.016 SD, 95% CI 0.004, 0.027) and lower triglycerides (-0.031 SD, 95% CI -0.049, -0.012) but not with other traits. Genetically predicted these traits gave no association with AA. The association of AA with IHD was attenuated adjusting for ApoB or LDL-C. Genetically predicted AA was associated with lipids but not other traits. Given ApoB is thought to be the key lipid in IHD, the association of AA with IHD is likely mediated by ApoB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhang
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; (T.Z.); (S.-L.A.Y.)
| | - Shiu-Lun Au Yeung
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; (T.Z.); (S.-L.A.Y.)
| | - C. Mary Schooling
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; (T.Z.); (S.-L.A.Y.)
- School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Correspondence:
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15
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Zhang T, Zhao JV, Schooling CM. The associations of plasma phospholipid arachidonic acid with cardiovascular diseases: A Mendelian randomization study. EBioMedicine 2021; 63:103189. [PMID: 33418501 PMCID: PMC7804604 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Arachidonic acid (AA), a major long-chain n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid in animal foods, has been linked to inflammation, coagulation, and testosterone, which might relate to atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD). We assessed the associations of genetically predicted plasma phospholipid AA with ASCVD and other CVD overall and by sex using Mendelian randomization (MR). Methods We conducted two-sample MR, applying eight genetic variants, independent of a highly pleiotropic variant (rs174547), strongly (p < 5 × 10−8) predicting AA, primarily to summary statistics of genetic associations with ASCVD, including ischaemic heart disease (IHD), ischaemic stroke, and peripheral artery disease (PAD) from CARDIoGRAMplusC4D 1000 Genomes (60,801 IHD cases, 123,504 controls), MEGASTROKE (34,217 ischaemic stroke cases, 406,111 controls), and Pan-UK Biobank (n=~420,531), and secondarily to genetic associations with other CVD from Pan-UK Biobank, Atrial Fibrillation Consortium, HERMES consortium, and FinnGen. We also assessed sex differences. Findings Genetically predicted AA was associated with ASCVD (odds ratio (OR) per % of total fatty acids increase 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01 to 1.05) and its subtypes IHD (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.004 to 1.05), ischaemic stroke (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.004 to 1.06) and possibly PAD (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.17), possibly more strongly in men than women. AA was also associated with venous thromboembolism (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.19). A similar pattern was observed when using rs174547 to genetically predict AA. Interpretation Our study suggests positive associations of AA with ASCVD and venous thromboembolism, with possibly stronger associations in men than women. Funding No funding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhang
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jie V Zhao
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - C Mary Schooling
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
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