Investigation of the Association between Air Pollution and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the European Population: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide. At the same time, the relationship between air pollution and the likelihood of developing NAFLD has been a subject of debate due to conflicting findings in previous observational research. Our...
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Toxics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/12/3/228 |
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| author | Jing Yang Yaqi Zhang Yin Yuan Zhongyang Xie Lanjuan Li |
| author_facet | Jing Yang Yaqi Zhang Yin Yuan Zhongyang Xie Lanjuan Li |
| author_sort | Jing Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide. At the same time, the relationship between air pollution and the likelihood of developing NAFLD has been a subject of debate due to conflicting findings in previous observational research. Our objective was to examine the potential correlation between air pollutant levels and the risk of NAFLD in the European population by employing a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. The UK Biobank Consortium provided the summary statistics for various air pollution indicators (PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>2.5</sub> absorbance, PM<sub>2.5–10</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, NO<sub>2</sub>, and NO<sub>x</sub>). Additionally, information on NAFLD was obtained from three studies, including one derivation set and two validation sets. Heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and sensitivity analyses were performed under different MR frameworks, and instrumental variables associated with confounders (such as education, smoking, alcohol, and BMI) were detected by tools. In the derivation set, causal relationships between PM<sub>2.5</sub>, NO<sub>2</sub>, and NAFLD were observed in univariable Mendelian randomization (UVMR) (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.99, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = [1.22–3.22], <i>p</i> = 0.005; OR = 2.08, 95% CI = [1.27–3.40], <i>p</i> = 0.004, respectively). After adjustment for air pollutants or alcohol intake frequency in multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR), the above genetic correlations disappeared. In validation sets, the null associations remained in UVMR. Our findings from MR analysis using genetic data did not provide evidence for a causal association between air pollution and NAFLD in the European population. The associations observed in epidemiological studies could be partly attributed to confounders. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:46:55Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:46:55Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxics |
| spelling | doaj.art-1c211488cc514e0f854a02d876c781342024-03-27T14:06:17ZengMDPI AGToxics2305-63042024-03-0112322810.3390/toxics12030228Investigation of the Association between Air Pollution and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the European Population: A Mendelian Randomization StudyJing Yang0Yaqi Zhang1Yin Yuan2Zhongyang Xie3Lanjuan Li4State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou 310003, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou 310003, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou 310003, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou 310003, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Rd., Hangzhou 310003, ChinaNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide. At the same time, the relationship between air pollution and the likelihood of developing NAFLD has been a subject of debate due to conflicting findings in previous observational research. Our objective was to examine the potential correlation between air pollutant levels and the risk of NAFLD in the European population by employing a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. The UK Biobank Consortium provided the summary statistics for various air pollution indicators (PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>2.5</sub> absorbance, PM<sub>2.5–10</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, NO<sub>2</sub>, and NO<sub>x</sub>). Additionally, information on NAFLD was obtained from three studies, including one derivation set and two validation sets. Heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and sensitivity analyses were performed under different MR frameworks, and instrumental variables associated with confounders (such as education, smoking, alcohol, and BMI) were detected by tools. In the derivation set, causal relationships between PM<sub>2.5</sub>, NO<sub>2</sub>, and NAFLD were observed in univariable Mendelian randomization (UVMR) (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.99, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = [1.22–3.22], <i>p</i> = 0.005; OR = 2.08, 95% CI = [1.27–3.40], <i>p</i> = 0.004, respectively). After adjustment for air pollutants or alcohol intake frequency in multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR), the above genetic correlations disappeared. In validation sets, the null associations remained in UVMR. Our findings from MR analysis using genetic data did not provide evidence for a causal association between air pollution and NAFLD in the European population. The associations observed in epidemiological studies could be partly attributed to confounders.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/12/3/228air pollutionNAFLDUK BiobankFinngenMendelian randomization |
| spellingShingle | Jing Yang Yaqi Zhang Yin Yuan Zhongyang Xie Lanjuan Li Investigation of the Association between Air Pollution and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the European Population: A Mendelian Randomization Study Toxics air pollution NAFLD UK Biobank Finngen Mendelian randomization |
| title | Investigation of the Association between Air Pollution and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the European Population: A Mendelian Randomization Study |
| title_full | Investigation of the Association between Air Pollution and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the European Population: A Mendelian Randomization Study |
| title_fullStr | Investigation of the Association between Air Pollution and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the European Population: A Mendelian Randomization Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigation of the Association between Air Pollution and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the European Population: A Mendelian Randomization Study |
| title_short | Investigation of the Association between Air Pollution and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the European Population: A Mendelian Randomization Study |
| title_sort | investigation of the association between air pollution and non alcoholic fatty liver disease in the european population a mendelian randomization study |
| topic | air pollution NAFLD UK Biobank Finngen Mendelian randomization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/12/3/228 |
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