Evaluating the Causal Relation of ApoA-IV with Disease-Related Traits - A Bidirectional Two-sample Mendelian Randomization Study

Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 18;7(1):8734. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-07213-9.

Abstract

Apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) has been observed to be associated with lipids, kidney function, adiposity- and diabetes-related parameters. To assess the causal relationship of apoA-IV with these phenotypes, we conducted bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses using publicly available summary-level datasets from GWAS consortia on apoA-IV concentrations (n = 13,813), kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), n = 133,413), lipid traits (HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, n = 188,577), adiposity-related traits (body-mass-index (n = 322,206), waist-hip-ratio (n = 210,088)) and fasting glucose (n = 133,010). Main analyses consisted in inverse-variance weighted and multivariable MR, whereas MR-Egger regression and weighted median estimation were used as sensitivity analyses. We found that eGFR is likely to be causal on apoA-IV concentrations (53 SNPs; causal effect estimate per 1-SD increase in eGFR = -0.39; 95% CI = [-0.54, -0.24]; p-value = 2.4e-07). Triglyceride concentrations were also causally associated with apoA-IV concentrations (40 SNPs; causal effect estimate per 1-SD increase in triglycerides = -0.06; 95% CI = [-0.08, -0.04]; p-value = 4.8e-07), independently of HDL-C and LDL-C concentrations (causal effect estimate from multivariable MR = -0.06; 95% CI = [-0.10, -0.02]; p-value = 0.0014). Evaluating the inverse direction of causality revealed a possible causal association of apoA-IV on HDL-cholesterol (2 SNPs; causal effect estimate per one percent increase in apoA-IV = -0.40; 95% CI = [-0.60, -0.21]; p-value = 5.5e-05).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adiposity
  • Apolipoproteins A / genetics*
  • Apolipoproteins A / metabolism
  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Glucose
  • Fasting
  • Genetic Association Studies* / methods
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Glomerular Filtration Rate
  • Humans
  • Lipids / blood
  • Mendelian Randomization Analysis
  • Phenotype
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Quantitative Trait, Heritable*

Substances

  • Apolipoproteins A
  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Glucose
  • Lipids
  • apolipoprotein A-IV