Kidney Research and Clinical Practice (Jul 2023)

Genetic variations in HMGCR and PCSK9 and kidney function: a Mendelian randomization study

  • Sehoon Park,
  • Seong Geun Kim,
  • Soojin Lee,
  • Yaerim Kim,
  • Semin Cho,
  • Kwangsoo Kim,
  • Yong Chul Kim,
  • Seung Seok Han,
  • Hajeong Lee,
  • Jung Pyo Lee,
  • Kwon Wook Joo,
  • Chun Soo Lim,
  • Yon Su Kim,
  • Dong Ki Kim

DOI
https://doi.org/10.23876/j.krcp.22.237
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 42, no. 4
pp. 460 – 472

Abstract

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Background The genetically predicted lipid-lowering effect of HMGCR or PCSK9 variant can be used to assess drug proxy effects on kidney function. Methods Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis-identified HMGCR and PCSK9 genetic variants were used to predict the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol-lowering effects of medications targeting related molecules. Primary summary-level outcome data for log-estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; creatinine) were provided by the CKDGen Consortium (n = 1,004,040 European) from a meta-analysis of CKDGen and UK Biobank data. We also conducted a separate investigation of summary-level data from CKDGen (n = 567,460, log-eGFR [creatinine]) and UK Biobank (n = 436,581, log-eGFR [cystatin C]) samples. Summary-level MRs using an inverse variance weighted method and pleiotropy-robust methods were performed. Results Summary-level MR analysis indicated that the LDL-lowering effect predicted genetically by HMGCR variants (50-mg/dL decrease) was significantly associated with a decrease in eGFR (–1.67%; 95% confidence interval [CI], –2.20% to –1.13%). Similar significance was found in results from the pleiotropy-robust MR methods when the CKDGen and UK Biobank data were analyzed separately. However, the LDL-lowering effect predicted genetically by PCSK9 variants was significantly associated with an increase in eGFR (+1.17%; 95% CI, 0.10%–2.25%). The results were similarly supported by the weighted median method and in each CKDGen and UK Biobank dataset, but the significance obtained by MR-Egger regression was attenuated. Conclusion Genetically predicted HMG-CoA reductase inhibition was associated with low eGFR, while genetically predicted PCSK9 inhibition was associated with high eGFR. Clinicians should consider that the direct effect of different types of lipid-lowering medication on kidney function can vary.

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