Causal association between air pollution and autoimmune diseases: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Haiping Hu; Xinxin Yang; Qingquan Chen; Xinfeng Huang; Xiangyu Cao; Xiaoyang Zhang; Youqiong Xu

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1333811

Causal association between air pollution and autoimmune diseases: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Front Public Health. 2024 Mar 28:12:1333811. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1333811. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Haiping Hu^#^{1

2}, Xinxin Yang^#^{1

2}, Qingquan Chen^#^{1

2}, Xinfeng Huang^#^{1

2}, Xiangyu Cao^{1

2}, Xiaoyang Zhang^{1

2}, Youqiong Xu^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ The Affiliated Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
² School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: In recent years, an increasing number of observational studies have reported the impact of air pollution on autoimmune diseases (ADs). However, no Mendelian randomization (MR) studies have been conducted to investigate the causal relationships. To enhance our understanding of causality, we examined the causal relationships between particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and ADs.

Methods: We utilized genome-wide association study (GWAS) data on PM and NO_x from the UK Biobank in European and East Asian populations. We also extracted integrated GWAS data from the Finnish consortium and the Japanese Biobank for two-sample MR analysis. We employed inverse variance weighted (IVW) analysis to assess the causal relationship between PM and NO_x exposure and ADs. Additionally, we conducted supplementary analyses using four methods, including IVW (fixed effects), weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode, to further investigate this relationship.

Results: In the European population, the results of MR analysis suggested a statistically significant association between PM_2.5 and psoriasis only (OR = 3.86; 95% CI: 1.89-7.88; P_IVW < 0.00625), while a potential association exists between PM_2.5-10 and vitiligo (OR = 7.42; 95% CI: 1.02-53.94; P_IVW < 0.05), as well as between PM_2.5 and systemic lupus erythematosus (OR = 68.17; 95% CI: 2.17-2.1e+03; P_IVW < 0.05). In East Asian populations, no causal relationship was found between air pollutants and the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis (P_IVW > 0.025). There was no pleiotropy in the results.

Conclusion: Our results suggest a causal association between PM_2.5 and psoriasis in European populations. With the help of air pollution prevention and control, the harmful progression of psoriasis may be slowed.

Keywords: Mendelian randomization; air pollution; autoimmune diseases; nitrogen oxides; particulate matter.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollution* / adverse effects
Autoimmune Diseases* / etiology
Autoimmune Diseases* / genetics
Genome-Wide Association Study
Humans
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic*
Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Particulate Matter / adverse effects
Psoriasis* / etiology
Psoriasis* / genetics

Substances

Particulate Matter

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Major Programs for Health and Wellness in Fujian Province (No. 2021ZD01001); Fuzhou Science and Technology Program (No. 2022-S-032); Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (No. 2023J01168).