Mendelian randomization study on the causal relationship between inflammatory factors and hepatocellular carcinoma
YIN Xiangqi
XIAO Jinchang
GU Yuming
Abstract：Objective To investigate the causal relationship between 41 inflammatory factors and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods A two-sample Mendelian randomization(MR)analysis was conducted using genome-wide association study(GW AS)data from the UK Biobank(GCST90043858,n=456 348)and a Finnish population-based GW AS dataset of 41 inflammatory factors(n=8 293).Genetic variants significantly associated with the 41 inflammatory factors were selected as instrumental variables(IVs).The inverse-variance weighted(IVW)method was used as the primary analysis,supplemented by MR Egger regression,weighted median method,and pleiotropy tests to ensure the robustness of the results.Results Genetically predicted IL-5(OR:2.15,95％CI:1.05-4.39,P=0.036)and IL-17(OR:3.35,95％CI:1.36-8.25,P=0.008)were significantly associated with an increased risk of liver cancer.Conclusion IL-5 and IL-17 exhibit a causal relationship with hepatocellular carcinoma risk,suggesting their potential as biomarkers for liver cancer.Targeting inflammatory signaling pathways may provide novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of HCC.
Keywords：Mendelian randomizationIL-5IL-17Hepatocellular carcinoma
Publication Date：2025-04-28
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 269-273,288 )