Causal Relationship between Immune Cells and Gynecological Cancers through Bidirectional and Multivariable Mendelian Randomization Analyses

Abstract

Background: Evidence suggests potential associations between gynecological malignancies and various immune cell chemicals and systems. However, establishing a causal relationship remains uncertain. Methods: This work employed Wald ratio for one single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) or the inverse-variance weighted method (IVW) for multiple SNPs to conduct bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis by utilizing genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. We employed supplementary methods, including MR-Egger and weighted median methods, to detect and correct for the influence of horizontal pleiotropy. In addition, we also use colocalization analysis for further validation. Results: In IVW analysis, increases in relative count of circulating CD11c + HLA-DR ++ conventional dendritic cells (cDC) were associated with an elevated risk of breast cancer (OR [95% CI], 1.1295 [1.0632-1.2000], P = 8.044 × 10 -5 ), while elevated levels of HLA-DR on plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DC) and HLA-DR on DC were protective against breast cancer. In addition, actual count of CD39 + resting Treg AC was also shown to be causally associated with the development of ovarian cancer, whereas a high relative count of CD28 + CD45RA -CD8 + T cells reduced the risk of cervical cancer. Sensitivity analysis revealed almost no evidence of bias in the current study. Multivariable MR (MVMR) analyses further confirmed a direct impact of the CD11c + HLA-DR ++ cDC immune phenotype on breast cancer. Colocalization analysis showed the lead SNP, rs780094, suggesting HLA-DR GWAS shared a common genetic mechanism with breast cancer. Conclusions: The MR study identified significant causal relationships between multiple immunophenotypes and breast cancer, aiming to provide clinicians with some reference for cancer prediction and explore further potential associations between immune phenotypes and gynecologic tumors.