Causal Association of Leukocytes Count and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: a Mendelian Randomization Study. 2020

Chunyu Li, and Wanchun Yang, and Qianqian Wei, and Huifang Shang
Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37, Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.

Peripheral immunity has been observed to be associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) clinically, but whether there exist causal association and the effect direction is controversial and elusive. The objective of this study is to explore the causal relationship of peripheral immune cell traits including total leukocytes count, monocyte count, neutrophil count, eosinophil count, basophil count, and lymphocyte count on ALS risk. We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis to estimate the causal effects. Significant single nucleotide polymorphisms from genome-wide association study on human blood cell traits were utilized as exposure instruments and summary statistics of ALS as outcome. The causal relationship was evaluated by inverse variance weighted, MR Egger regression and weighted median methods, and further verified by extensive sensitivity analyses. We found that genetically determined one standard deviation increase in total leukocytes count was associated with lower risk of ALS (OR: 0.906, 95% CI: 0.842-0.974, P: 0.007) after Bonferroni correction, and increased neutrophil count showed suggestive association with reduced ALS risk (OR: 0.926, 95% CI: 0.858-1.000, P: 0.049). The results were robust under all sensitivity analyses. Our study reveals a genetic predisposition to higher peripheral leukocytes with an inverse causal effect on the risk of ALS, highlighting the important role of peripheral immunity in the development of ALS.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007958 Leukocyte Count The number of WHITE BLOOD CELLS per unit volume in venous BLOOD. A differential leukocyte count measures the relative numbers of the different types of white cells. Blood Cell Count, White,Differential Leukocyte Count,Leukocyte Count, Differential,Leukocyte Number,White Blood Cell Count,Count, Differential Leukocyte,Count, Leukocyte,Counts, Differential Leukocyte,Counts, Leukocyte,Differential Leukocyte Counts,Leukocyte Counts,Leukocyte Counts, Differential,Leukocyte Numbers,Number, Leukocyte,Numbers, Leukocyte
D006410 Hematopoiesis The development and formation of various types of BLOOD CELLS. Hematopoiesis can take place in the BONE MARROW (medullary) or outside the bone marrow (HEMATOPOIESIS, EXTRAMEDULLARY). Hematopoiesis, Medullary,Haematopoiesis,Medullary Hematopoiesis
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000690 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis A degenerative disorder affecting upper MOTOR NEURONS in the brain and lower motor neurons in the brain stem and SPINAL CORD. Disease onset is usually after the age of 50 and the process is usually fatal within 3 to 6 years. Clinical manifestations include progressive weakness, atrophy, FASCICULATION, hyperreflexia, DYSARTHRIA, dysphagia, and eventual paralysis of respiratory function. Pathologic features include the replacement of motor neurons with fibrous ASTROCYTES and atrophy of anterior SPINAL NERVE ROOTS and corticospinal tracts. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1089-94) ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Lou Gehrig Disease,Motor Neuron Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis With Dementia,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Guam Form,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex of Guam,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Parkinsonism-Dementia Complex 1,Charcot Disease,Dementia With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Gehrig's Disease,Guam Disease,Guam Form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Lou Gehrig's Disease,Lou-Gehrigs Disease,ALS Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Parkinsonism Dementia Complex 1,Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Parkinsonism Dementia Complex of Guam,Disease, Guam,Disease, Lou-Gehrigs,Gehrig Disease,Gehrigs Disease,Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral
D055106 Genome-Wide Association Study An analysis comparing the allele frequencies of all available (or a whole GENOME representative set of) polymorphic markers to identify gene candidates or quantitative trait loci associated with a specific organism trait or specific disease or condition. Genome Wide Association Analysis,Genome Wide Association Study,GWA Study,Genome Wide Association Scan,Genome Wide Association Studies,Whole Genome Association Analysis,Whole Genome Association Study,Association Studies, Genome-Wide,Association Study, Genome-Wide,GWA Studies,Genome-Wide Association Studies,Studies, GWA,Studies, Genome-Wide Association,Study, GWA,Study, Genome-Wide Association
D057182 Mendelian Randomization Analysis The use of the GENETIC VARIATION of known functions or phenotypes to correlate the causal effects of those functions or phenotypes with a disease outcome. Analysis, Mendelian Randomization

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