Identification of atrial fibrillation-related genes through transcriptome data analysis and Mendelian randomization
Authors: Zhang Yujun , Lian Qiufang , Nie Yanwu , Zhao Wei 
Published: July 2024

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common persistent arrhythmia characterized by rapid and chaotic atrial electrical activity, potentially leading to severe complications such as thromboembolism, heart failure, and stroke, significantly affecting patient quality of life and safety. As the global population ages, the prevalence of AF is on the rise, placing considerable strains on individuals and healthcare systems. This study utilizes bioinformatics and Mendelian Randomization (MR) to analyze transcriptome data and genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics, aiming to identify biomarkers causally associated with AF and explore their potential pathogenic pathways.

Methods

We obtained AF microarray datasets GSE41177 and GSE79768 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, merged them, and corrected for batch effects to pinpoint differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We gathered exposure data from expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and outcome data from AF GWAS through the IEU Open GWAS database. We employed inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted model approaches for MR analysis to assess exposure-outcome causality. IVW was the primary method, supplemented by other techniques. The robustness of our results was evaluated using Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger intercept, MR-PRESSO, and leave-one-out sensitivity analysis. A “Veen” diagram visualized the overlap of DEGs with significant eQTL genes from MR analysis, referred to as common genes (CGs). Additional analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, and immune cell infiltration studies, were conducted on these intersecting genes to reveal their roles in AF pathogenesis.

Results

The combined dataset revealed 355 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with 228 showing significant upregulation and 127 downregulated. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis identified that the autocrine motility factor receptor (AMFR) [IVW: OR = 0.977; 95% CI, 0.956–0.998; P = 0.030], leucine aminopeptidase 3 (LAP3) [IVW: OR = 0.967; 95% CI, 0.934–0.997; P = 0.048], Rab acceptor 1 (RABAC1) [IVW: OR = 0.928; 95% CI, 0.875–0.985; P = 0.015], and tryptase beta 2 (TPSB2) [IVW: OR = 0.971; 95% CI, 0.943–0.999; P = 0.049] are associated with a reduced risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Conversely, GTPase-activating SH3 domain-binding protein 2 (G3BP2) [IVW: OR = 1.030; 95% CI, 1.004–1.056; P = 0.024], integrin subunit beta 2 (ITGB2) [IVW: OR = 1.050; 95% CI, 1.017–1.084; P = 0.003], glutaminyl-peptide cyclotransferase (QPCT) [IVW: OR = 1.080; 95% CI, 1.010–0.997; P = 1.154], and tripartite motif containing 22 (TRIM22) [IVW: OR = 1.048; 95% CI, 1.003–1.095; P = 0.035] are positively associated with AF risk. Sensitivity analyses indicated a lack of heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy (P &gt; 0.05), and leave-one-out analysis did not reveal any single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) impacting the MR results significantly. GO and KEGG analyses showed that CG is involved in processes such as protein polyubiquitination, neutrophil degranulation, specific and tertiary granule formation, protein-macromolecule adaptor activity, molecular adaptor activity, and the SREBP signaling pathway, all significantly enriched. The analysis of immune cell infiltration demonstrated associations of CG with various immune cells, including plasma cells, CD8T cells, resting memory CD4T cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), gamma delta T cells, activated NK cells, activated mast cells, and neutrophils.

Conclusion

By integrating bioinformatics and MR approaches, genes such as AMFR, G3BP2, ITGB2, LAP3, QPCT, RABAC1, TPSB2, and TRIM22 are identified as causally linked to AF, enhancing our understanding of its molecular foundations. This strategy may facilitate the development of more precise biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AF diagnosis and treatment.