The peripheral immune cell counts and mouth ulcers: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Yajing Wang,
Yuanyuan Hu,
Mengxuan Shen,
Yang Cai,
Zhiyuan Li,
Changyue Xue,
Xu Tan,
Jukun Song
Affiliations
Yajing Wang
The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; The Stomatology of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
Yuanyuan Hu
The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; The Stomatology of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
Mengxuan Shen
The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; The Stomatology of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
Yang Cai
The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; The Stomatology of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
Zhiyuan Li
The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; The Stomatology of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
Changyue Xue
Department of Implant Dentistry, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
Xu Tan
The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; The Stomatology of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Corresponding author. 9 Beijing Road, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China
Jukun Song
The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; The Stomatology of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China; Corresponding author. 9 Beijing Road, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China
Objective: This study explored the causal association of peripheral immune cell counts with mouth ulcers (MUs) by two-sample Mendelian Randomization. Design: The counts of 12 circulating immune cell types (leukocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils, basophils, CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, unswitched memory B cells, NK cells, B cells and a derived ratio (CD4+/CD8+)) were determined as the exposure. MUs were the outcome. The analysis was conducted mostly using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) approach. MR Egger, weighted median, weighted mode and simple mode were used to detect the horizontal pleiotropy. Results: The IVW results for leukocytes and lymphocyte counts were OR = 0.93, 95 % CI = 0.88–0.98, p = 0.0115 and OR = 0.91, 95 % CI: 0.84–0.98, p = 0.0150, respectively. The Wald ratio result for CD4+ cell and CD8+ cell counts were OR = 0.70, 95 % CI: 0.65–0.75, p = 1.05 × 10−20 and OR = 1.25, 95 % CI: 1.19–1.31, p = 9.99 × 10−21, respectively. Conclusions: This study supports a causal effect of peripheral immune cell counts on MUs. Higher leukocyte, lymphocyte and CD4+ cell counts can protect against MUs, but higher CD8+ cell counts enhance the risk of MUs. This finding confirms host immune factors play a crucial role in the aetiology of MUs.
