Evidence mapPaperPMID 41299274Full record

ArticleBMC cardiovascular disorders2025

Proteome-wide Mendelian randomization identifies drug targets for atrial fibrillation/flutter.

Qi Jia, Yiyi Yang, Xiangdong Chen, Zhiqiang Hu

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Article in BMC cardiovascular disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Qi JiaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
Yiyi YangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
Xiangdong ChenDepartment of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
Zhiqiang HuDepartment of Anesthesiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China. zhiqianghuunion@163.com.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82002100
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDeveloping effective and safe drug targets for atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFL) is a critical clinical need. As the plasma proteome represents a major source of druggable targets, this study aimed to identify causal protein targets for AF/AFL and assess their potential side effects.

methodsA two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study was conducted to evaluate the causal effects of plasma proteins from the UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project (UKB-PPP) and the deCODE database on the risk of AF/AFL. The MR findings were further confirmed through Bayesian colocalization and Transcriptome-Wide Association Studies (TWAS) analyses. Furthermore, phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) was conducted to depict potential side effects of druggable targets, and Multivariable MR (MVMR) explored the potential mediators.

resultsMR analysis identified 44 plasma proteins from the UKB-PPP database and 14 from the deCODE database significantly associated with AF/AFL, and only 3 proteins (NFKB1, PGD, PCSK9) were overlapped. Colocalization analysis further identified only PCSK9 (Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) shared a causative genetic variant with AF/AFL (PP.H4 > 0.8). TWAS analysis also provided strong evidence to the association between PCSK9 and risks of AF/AFL. PheWAS have shown several potential side effects of PCSK9 inhibition (p_fdr < 0.05). Moreover, MVMR analysis revealed that LDL-C, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, and inflammatory factors may exert partial mediation effects on the causal relationship between PCSK9 and AF/AFL.

conclusionThis study identifies PCSK9 as a promising therapeutic target for AF/AFL, supported by consisitent evidence from MR, Bayesian colocalization, and TWAS analysis. And LDL-C, blood pressure, and inflammatory factors may exert partial mediation effects on the causal relationship between PCSK9 and AF/AFL.

Indexed as

Atrial FibrillationBlood ProteinsProteomeProteomicsBiomarkersGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMendelian Randomization AnalysisMolecular Targeted TherapyPhenotypeProprotein Convertase 9Risk AssessmentRisk FactorsUK BiobankBiomarkersBlood ProteinsPCSK9 protein, humanProprotein Convertase 9ProteomeAtrial fibrillation/FlutterDrug targetsMendelian randomization analysisPCSK9Plasma proteins

Identifiers

PMID41299274
PMCPMC12751433

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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.