Genetic association of lipids and lipid lowering drug target genes with sarcoidosis

Abstract

Abstract To determine the potential causal association between serum lipid levels and sarcoidosis, and to investigate the potential impact of lipid lowering agents on sarcoidosis. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) was used to investigate the association between lipid levels (including LDL-c, HDL-c, TG, and TC) and sarcoidosis risk. In addition, we used Mendelian drug target randomization (DMR) to analyze the relationship between drug targets for lowering LDL-c levels (HMGCR, PCSK9, and NPC1L1) and drug targets for lowering TG levels (LPL and APOC3) and the risk of sarcoidosis. According to the TSMR analysis, a positive correlation was observed between the serum LDL-c concentration and sarcoidosis incidence (n = 153 SNPs, OR = 1.232, 95% CI = 1.018–1.491; p = 0.031). Similarly, serum TG concentration was found to be positively associated with sarcoidosis (n = 52 SNPs, OR = 1.287, 95% CI = 1.024–1.617; p = 0.03). The DMR results demonstrated a positive correlation between PCSK9-mediated serum LDL-c levels and sarcoidosis (n = 35 SNPs, OR = 1.681, 95% CI = 1.220–2.315; p = 0.001). Similarly, serum TG levels mediated by LPL were positively associated with sarcoidosis (n = 28 SNPs, OR = 1.569, 95% CI = 1.223–2.012; p = 0.0003). This study suggested that elevated serum TG and LDL-c levels may increase the risk of sarcoidosis. PCSK9-mediated reduction of LDL-C levels (simulating the effects of PCSK9 inhibitors) and LPL-mediated reduction of TG levels (simulating the effects of LPL-related lipid lowering drugs) can decrease the risk of developing sarcoidosis.

Keywords

• Lipids
• Lipid lowering drug
• Genes
• Sarcoidosis
• PCSK9