Genetic Evidence for Causal Relationships between Plasma Eicosanoid Levels and Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of mortality and disability worldwide. Eicosanoids are a group of bioactive metabolites that are mainly oxidized by arachidonic acid. Eicosanoids play a diverse role in cardiovascular diseases, with some exerting beneficial effects while others have detrimental consequences. However, a causal relationship between eicosanoid levels and cardiovascular disease remains unclear. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with strong associations with plasma eicosanoid levels were selected. Summary-level data for cardiovascular disease were obtained from publicly available genome-wide association studies. A two-sample MR analysis identified that plasma eicosanoid levels were inversely correlated with unstable angina pectoris (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1–1.12; p = 0.04), myocardial infarction (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.02–1.09; p = 0.005), ischemia stroke (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1–1.11; p = 0.047), transient ischemic attack (OR 1.03; 95% CI 1–1.07; p = 0.042), heart failure (OR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01–1.05; p = 0.011), and pulmonary embolism (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.02–1.14; p = 1.69 × 10−6). In conclusion, our data strongly suggest a genetic causal link between high plasma eicosanoid levels and an increased cardiovascular disease risk. This study provides genetic evidence for treating cardiovascular diseases.