Polymorphisms in the vitamin D system and mortality - The Tromsø study

Rolf Jorde; Tom Wilsgaard; Guri Grimnes

doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2019.105481

Polymorphisms in the vitamin D system and mortality - The Tromsø study

J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2019 Dec:195:105481. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2019.105481. Epub 2019 Sep 18.

Authors

Rolf Jorde¹, Tom Wilsgaard², Guri Grimnes³

Affiliations

¹ Tromsø Endocrine Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Division of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: rolf.jorde@unn.no.
² Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
³ Tromsø Endocrine Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Division of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.

PMID: 31541730
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2019.105481

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with diabetes, cancer, immunological and cardiovascular diseases as well as increased mortality. It has, however, been difficult to show a causal relation in randomized, controlled trials. Mendelian randomization studies provide another option for testing causality, and results indicate relations between the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level and some diseases, including mortality. We have from the Tromsø Study in 2012 published non-significant relations been vitamin D related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and mortality, but have since then genotyped additional subjects, the observation time is longer and new SNPs have been included. For the present study genotyping was performed for SNPs in the NADSYN1, CYP2R1, GC and CYP24A1, VDR, CUBILIN and MEGALIN genes in 11 897 subjects who participated in the fourth survey of the Tromsø Study in 1994-1995. Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured in 6733 of these subjects. Genetic scores based on SNPs related to the serum 25(OH)D level (NADSYN1 and CYP2R1 SNPs (synthesis score) and GC and CYP24A1 SNPs (metabolism score)) and serum 25(OH)D percentile groups were created. Mortality data was updated till end of March 2017 and survival analysed with Cox regression adjusted for sex and age. During the observation period 5491 subjects died. The 25(OH)D synthesis (but not the metabolism) genetic score and the serum 25(OH)D percentile groups were (without Bonferroni correction) significantly related to mortality in favour of high serum 25(OH)D. None of the SNPs in the VDR or MEGALIN genes were related to mortality. However, for the rs12766939 in the CUBILIN gene with the major homozygote as reference, the hazard ratio for mortality for the minor homozygote genotype was 1.17 (1.06-1.29), P < 0.002. This should be viewed with caution, as rs12766939 was not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In conclusion, our study confirms a probable causal but weak relation between serum 25(OH)D level and mortality. The relation between rs12766939 and mortality needs confirmation in more homogenous cohorts.

Keywords: Mendelian randomization; Mortality; Single nucleotide polymorphisms; Vitamin D.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Aged
Female
Genotype
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Mortality*
Norway
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics*
Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives*
Vitamin D / blood

Substances

Receptors, Cell Surface
intrinsic factor-cobalamin receptor
Vitamin D
25-hydroxyvitamin D