Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39794498›Full record

SynthesisCommunications biology2025

The genomic architecture of circulating cytokine levels points to drug targets for immune-related diseases.

Marek J Konieczny, Murad Omarov, Lanyue Zhang, Rainer Malik, Tom G Richardson, Sebastian-Edgar Baumeister, Jürgen Bernhagen, Martin Dichgans, Marios K Georgakis

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Communications biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Observational
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Marek J KoniecznyInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3592-7191
Murad OmarovInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6126-8631
Lanyue ZhangInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Rainer MalikInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Tom G RichardsonMedical Research Council (MRC) Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU), University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7918-2040
Sebastian-Edgar BaumeisterInstitute of Health Services Research in Dentistry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
Jürgen BernhagenInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2996-2652
Martin DichgansInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0654-387X
Marios K GeorgakisInstitute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany. marios.georgakis@med.uni-muenchen.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3507-3659

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Circulating cytokines orchestrate immune reactions and are promising drug targets for immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases. Exploring the genetic architecture of circulating cytokine levels could yield key insights into causal mediators of human disease. Here, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for 40 circulating cytokines in meta-analyses of 74,783 individuals. We detected 359 significant associations between cytokine levels and variants in 169 independent loci, including 150 trans- and 19 cis-acting loci. Integration with transcriptomic data point to key regulatory mechanisms, such as the buffering function of the Atypical Chemokine Receptor 1 (ACKR1) acting as scavenger for multiple chemokines and the role of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 1 (TRAFD1) in modulating the cytokine storm triggered by TNF signaling. Applying Mendelian randomization (MR), we detected a network of complex cytokine interconnections with TNF-b, VEGF, and IL-1ra exhibiting pleiotropic downstream effects on multiple cytokines. Drug target cis-MR using 2 independent proteomics datasets paired with colocalization revealed G-CSF/CSF-3 and CXCL9/MIG as potential causal mediators of asthma and Crohn's disease, respectively, but also a potentially protective role of TNF-b in multiple sclerosis. Our results provide an overview of the genetic architecture of circulating cytokines and could guide the development of targeted immunotherapies.

Indexed as

CytokinesImmune System DiseasesGenome-Wide Association StudyGenomicsHumansMendelian Randomization AnalysisPolymorphism, Single NucleotideCytokines

Identifiers

PMID39794498
PMCPMC11724035

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.