Proteomics of mouse brain endothelium uncovers dysregulation of vesicular transport pathways during aging.

Age-related decline in brain endothelial cell (BEC) function contributes critically to neurological disease. Comprehensive atlases of the BEC transcriptome have become available, but results from proteomic profiling are lacking. To gain insights into endothelial pathways affected by aging, we developed a magnetic-activated cell sorting-based mouse BEC enrichment protocol compatible with proteomics and resolved the profiles of protein abundance changes during aging. Unsupervised cluster analysis revealed a segregation of age-related protein dynamics with biological functions, including a downregulation of vesicle-mediated transport. We found a dysregulation of key regulators of endocytosis and receptor recycling (most prominently Arf6), macropinocytosis and lysosomal degradation. In gene deletion and overexpression experiments, Arf6 affected endocytosis pathways in endothelial cells. Our approach uncovered changes not picked up by transcriptomic studies, such as accumulation of vesicle cargo and receptor ligands, including Apoe. Proteomic analysis of BECs from Apoe-deficient mice revealed a signature of accelerated aging. Our findings provide a resource for analysing BEC function during aging.

Deep Resequencing of the 1q22 Locus in Non-Lobar Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: Genome-wide association studies have identified 1q22 as a susceptibility locus for cerebral small vessel diseases, including non-lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and lacunar stroke. In the present study, we performed targeted high-depth sequencing of 1q22 in ICH cases and controls to further characterize this locus and prioritize potential causal mechanisms, which remain unknown. METHODS: A total of 95,000 base pairs spanning 1q22, including SEMA4A, SLC25A44, and PMF1/PMF1-BGLAP were sequenced in 1,055 spontaneous ICH cases (534 lobar and 521 non-lobar) and 1,078 controls. Firth regression and Rare Variant Influential Filtering Tool analysis were used to analyze common and rare variants, respectively. Chromatin interaction analyses were performed using Hi-C, chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing, and chromatin interaction analysis with paired-end tag databases. Multivariable Mendelian randomization assessed whether alterations in gene-specific expression relative to regionally co-expressed genes at 1q22 could be causally related to ICH risk. RESULTS: Common and rare variant analyses prioritized variants in SEMA4A 5'-UTR and PMF1 intronic regions, overlapping with active promoter and enhancer regions based on ENCODE annotation. Hi-C data analysis determined that 1q22 is spatially organized in a single chromatin loop, and that the genes therein belong to the same topologically associating domain. Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing and chromatin interaction analysis with paired-end tag data analysis highlighted the presence of long-range interactions between the SEMA4A-promoter and PMF1-enhancer regions prioritized by association testing. Multivariable Mendelian randomization analyses demonstrated that PMF1 overexpression could be causally related to non-lobar ICH risk. INTERPRETATION: Altered promoter-enhancer interactions leading to PMF1 overexpression, potentially dysregulating polyamine catabolism, could explain demonstrated associations with non-lobar ICH risk at 1q22, offering a potential new target for prevention of ICH and cerebral small vessel disease. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:325-337.

Proteogenomic Data Integration Reveals CXCL10 as a Potentially Downstream Causal Mediator for IL-6 Signaling on Atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Genetic and experimental studies support a causal involvement of IL-6 (interleukin-6) signaling in atheroprogression. Although trials targeting IL-6 signaling are underway, any benefits must be balanced against an impaired host immune response. Dissecting the mechanisms that mediate the effects of IL-6 signaling on atherosclerosis could offer insights about novel drug targets with more specific effects. METHODS: Leveraging data from 522 681 individuals, we constructed a genetic instrument of 26 variants in the gene encoding the IL-6R (IL-6 receptor) that proxied for pharmacological IL-6R inhibition. Using Mendelian randomization, we assessed its effects on 3281 plasma proteins quantified with an aptamer-based assay in the INTERVAL cohort (n=3301). Using mediation Mendelian randomization, we explored proteomic mediators of the effects of genetically proxied IL-6 signaling on coronary artery disease, large artery atherosclerotic stroke, and peripheral artery disease. For significant mediators, we tested associations of their circulating levels with incident cardiovascular events in a population-based study (n=1704) and explored the histological, transcriptomic, and cellular phenotypes correlated with their expression levels in samples from human atherosclerotic lesions. RESULTS: We found significant effects of genetically proxied IL-6 signaling on 70 circulating proteins involved in cytokine production/regulation and immune cell recruitment/differentiation, which correlated with the proteomic effects of pharmacological IL-6R inhibition in a clinical trial. Among the 70 significant proteins, genetically proxied circulating levels of CXCL10 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10) were associated with risk of coronary artery disease, large artery atherosclerotic stroke, and peripheral artery disease, with up to 67% of the effects of genetically downregulated IL-6 signaling on these end points mediated by decreases in CXCL10. Higher midlife circulating CXCL10 levels were associated with a larger number of cardiovascular events over 20 years, whereas higher CXCL10 expression in human atherosclerotic lesions correlated with a larger lipid core and a transcriptomic profile reflecting immune cell infiltration, adaptive immune system activation, and cytokine signaling. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating multiomics data, we found a proteomic signature of IL-6 signaling activation and mediators of its effects on cardiovascular disease. Our analyses suggest the interferon-γ-inducible chemokine CXCL10 to be a potentially causal mediator for atherosclerosis in 3 vascular compartments and, as such, could serve as a promising drug target for atheroprotection.

Genetically proxied HTRA1 protease activity and circulating levels independently predict risk of ischemic stroke and coronary artery disease.

HTRA1 has emerged as a major risk gene for stroke and cerebral small vessel disease with both rare and common variants contributing to disease risk. However, the precise mechanisms mediating this risk remain largely unknown as does the full spectrum of phenotypes associated with genetic variation in HTRA1 in the general population. Using a family-history informed approach, we first show that rare variants in HTRA1 are linked to ischemic stroke in 425,338 European individuals from the UK Biobank with replication in 143,149 individuals from the Biobank Japan. Integrating data from biochemical experiments on 76 mutations occurring in the UK Biobank, we next show that rare variants causing loss of protease function in vitro associate with ischemic stroke, coronary artery disease, and skeletal traits. In addition, a common causal variant (rs2672592) modulating circulating HTRA1 mRNA and protein levels enhances the risk of ischemic stroke, small vessel stroke, and coronary artery disease while lowering the risk of migraine and age-related macular dystrophy in GWAS and UK Biobank data from > 2,000,000 individuals. There was no evidence of an interaction between genetically proxied HTRA1 activity and levels. Our findings demonstrate a central role of HTRA1 for human disease including stroke and coronary artery disease and identify two independent mechanisms that might qualify as targets for future therapeutic interventions.

Carriers of rare damaging CCR2 genetic variants are at lower risk of atherosclerotic disease.

Background: The CCL2/CCR2 axis governs monocyte trafficking and recruitment to atherosclerotic lesions. Human genetic analyses and population-based studies support an association between circulating CCL2 levels and atherosclerosis. Still, it remains unknown whether pharmacological targeting of CCR2, the main CCL2 receptor, would provide protection against human atherosclerotic disease. Methods: In whole-exome sequencing data from 454,775 UK Biobank participants (40-69 years), we identified predicted loss-of-function (LoF) or damaging missense (REVEL score >0.5) variants within the CCR2 gene. We prioritized variants associated with lower monocyte count (p<0.05) and tested associations with vascular risk factors and risk of atherosclerotic disease over a mean follow-up of 14 years. The results were replicated in a pooled cohort of three independent datasets (TOPMed, deCODE and Penn Medicine BioBank; total n=441,445) and the effect of the most frequent damaging variant was experimentally validated. Results: A total of 45 predicted LoF or damaging missense variants were identified in the CCR2 gene, 4 of which were also significantly associated with lower monocyte count, but not with other white blood cell counts. Heterozygous carriers of these variants were at a lower risk of a combined atherosclerosis outcome, showed a lower burden of atherosclerosis across four vascular beds, and were at a lower lifetime risk of coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction. There was no evidence of association with vascular risk factors including LDL-cholesterol, blood pressure, glycemic status, or C-reactive protein. Using a cAMP assay, we found that cells transfected with the most frequent CCR2 damaging variant (3:46358273:T:A, M249K, 547 carriers, frequency: 0.14%) show a decrease in signaling in response to CCL2. The associations of the M249K variant with myocardial infarction were consistent across cohorts (ORUKB: 0.62 95%CI: 0.39-0.96; ORexternal: 0.64 95%CI: 0.34-1.19; ORpooled: 0.64 95%CI: 0.450.90). In a phenome-wide association study, we found no evidence for higher risk of common infections or mortality among carriers of damaging CCR2 variants. Conclusions: Heterozygous carriers of damaging CCR2 variants have a lower burden of atherosclerosis and lower lifetime risk of myocardial infarction. In conjunction with previous evidence from experimental and epidemiological studies, our findings highlight the translational potential of CCR2-targeting as an atheroprotective approach.

Deep resequencing of the 1q22 locus in non-lobar intracerebral hemorrhage.

Objective: Genome-wide association studies have identified 1q22 as a susceptibility locus for cerebral small vessel diseases (CSVDs), including non-lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and lacunar stroke. In the present study we performed targeted high-depth sequencing of 1q22 in ICH cases and controls to further characterize this locus and prioritize potential causal mechanisms, which remain unknown. Methods: 95,000 base pairs spanning 1q22 , including SEMA4A, SLC25A44 and PMF1 / PMF1-BGLAP were sequenced in 1,055 spontaneous ICH cases (534 lobar and 521 non-lobar) and 1,078 controls. Firth regression and RIFT analysis were used to analyze common and rare variants, respectively. Chromatin interaction analyses were performed using Hi-C, ChIP-Seq and ChIA-PET databases. Multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) assessed whether alterations in gene-specific expression relative to regionally co-expressed genes at 1q22 could be causally related to ICH risk. Results: Common and rare variant analyses prioritized variants in SEMA4A 5'-UTR and PMF1 intronic regions, overlapping with active promoter and enhancer regions based on ENCODE annotation. Hi-C data analysis determined that 1q22 is spatially organized in a single chromatin loop and that the genes therein belong to the same Topologically Associating Domain. ChIP-Seq and ChIA-PET data analysis highlighted the presence of long-range interactions between the SEMA4A -promoter and PMF1 -enhancer regions prioritized by association testing. MVMR analyses demonstrated that PMF1 overexpression could be causally related to non-lobar ICH risk. Interpretation: Altered promoter-enhancer interactions leading to PMF1 overexpression, potentially dysregulating polyamine catabolism, could explain demonstrated associations with non-lobar ICH risk at 1q22 , offering a potential new target for prevention of ICH and CSVD.

Proteogenomic integration reveals CXCL10 as a potentially downstream causal mediator for IL-6 signaling on atherosclerosis.

Background: Genetic and experimental studies support a causal involvement of interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling in atheroprogression. While trials targeting IL-6 signaling are underway, any benefits must be balanced against an impaired host immune response. Dissecting the mechanisms that mediate the effects of IL-6 signaling on atherosclerosis could offer insights about novel drug targets with more specific effects. Methods: Leveraging data from 522,681 individuals, we constructed a genetic instrument of 26 variants in the gene encoding the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) that proxied for pharmacological IL-6R inhibition. Using Mendelian randomization (MR), we assessed its effects on 3,281 plasma proteins quantified with an aptamer-based assay in the INTERVAL cohort (n=3,301). Using mediation MR, we explored proteomic mediators of the effects of genetically proxied IL-6 signaling on coronary artery disease (CAD), large artery atherosclerotic stroke (LAAS), and peripheral artery disease (PAD). For significant mediators, we tested associations of their circulating levels with incident cardiovascular events in a population-based study (n=1,704) and explored the histological, transcriptomic, and cellular phenotypes correlated with their expression levels in samples from human atherosclerotic lesions. Results: We found significant effects of genetically proxied IL-6 signaling on 70 circulating proteins involved in cytokine production/regulation and immune cell recruitment/differentiation, which correlated with the proteomic effects of pharmacological IL-6R inhibition in a clinical trial. Among the 70 significant proteins, genetically proxied circulating levels of CXCL10 were associated with risk of CAD, LAAS, and PAD with up to 67% of the effects of genetically downregulated IL-6 signaling on these endpoints mediated by decreases in CXCL10. Higher midlife circulating CXCL10 levels were associated with a larger number of cardiovascular events over 20 years, whereas higher CXCL10 expression in human atherosclerotic lesions correlated with a larger lipid core and a transcriptomic profile reflecting immune cell infiltration, adaptive immune system activation, and cytokine signaling. Conclusions: Integrating multiomics data, we found a proteomic signature of IL-6 signaling activation and mediators of its effects on cardiovascular disease. Our analyses suggest the interferon-γ-inducible chemokine CXCL10 to be a potentially causal mediator for atherosclerosis in three vascular compartments and as such could serve as a promising drug target for atheroprotection.

The interplay between inflammatory cytokines and cardiometabolic disease: bi-directional mendelian randomisation study.

Objective: To leverage large scale genetic association data to investigate the interplay between circulating cytokines and cardiometabolic traits, and thus identifying potential therapeutic targets. Design: Bi-directional Mendelian randomisation study. Setting: Genome-wide association studies from three Finnish cohorts (Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, Young Finns Study, or FINRISK study), and genetic association summary statistics pooled from observational studies for expression quantitative trait loci and cardiometabolic traits. Participants: Data for 47 circulating cytokines in 13 365 individuals from genome-wide association studies, summary statistic data for up to 21 735 individuals on circulating cytokines, summary statistic gene expression data across 49 tissues in 838 individuals, and summary statistic data for up to 1 320 016 individuals on cardiometabolic traits. Interventions: Relations between circulating cytokines and cardiovascular, anthropometric, lipid, or glycaemic traits (coronary artery disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, body mass index, waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, glycated haemoglobin, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, C reactive protein, glucose, fasting insulin, and lifetime smoking). Main outcome methods: Genetic instrumental variables that are biologically plausible for the circulating cytokines were generated. The effects of cardiometabolic risk factors on concentrations of circulating cytokines, circulating cytokines on other circulating cytokines, and circulating cytokines on cardiometabolic outcomes were investigated. Results: Genetic evidence (mendelian randomisation P<0.0011) suggests that higher body mass index, waist circumference, smoking, higher concentrations of lipids, and systolic blood pressure increase circulating concentrations of several inflammatory cytokines and C reactive protein. Evidence for causal relations (mendelian randomisation P<0.0011) were noted between circulating cytokines, including a key role of vascular endothelial growth factor on influencing the concentrations of 10 other cytokines. Both mendelian randomisation (P<0.05) and colocalisation (posterior probability >0.5) suggested that coronary artery disease risk is increased by higher concentrations of circulating tumour necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1RA), and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (MCSF). Conclusion: This study offers insight into inflammatory mediators of cardiometabolic risk factors, cytokine signalling cascades, and effects of circulating cytokines on different cardiometabolic outcomes.

A Genomic Risk Score Identifies Individuals at High Risk for Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has an estimated heritability of 29%. We developed a genomic risk score for ICH and determined its predictive power in comparison to standard clinical risk factors. METHODS: We combined genome-wide association data from individuals of European ancestry for ICH and related traits in a meta-genomic risk score ([metaGRS]; 2.6 million variants). We tested associations with ICH and its predictive performance in addition to clinical risk factors in a held-out validation dataset (842 cases and 796 controls). We tested associations with risk of incident ICH in the population-based UK Biobank cohort (486 784 individuals, 1526 events, median follow-up 11.3 years). RESULTS: One SD increment in the metaGRS was significantly associated with 31% higher odds for ICH (95% CI, 1.16-1.48) in age-, sex- and clinical risk factor-adjusted models. The metaGRS identified individuals with almost 5-fold higher odds for ICH in the top score percentile (odds ratio, 4.83 [95% CI, 1.56-21.2]). Predictive models for ICH incorporating the metaGRS in addition to clinical predictors showed superior performance compared to the clinical risk factors alone (c-index, 0.695 versus 0.686). The metaGRS showed similar associations for lobar and nonlobar ICH, independent of the known APOE risk locus for lobar ICH. In the UK Biobank, the metaGRS was associated with higher risk of incident ICH (hazard ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.09-1.21]). The associations were significant within both a relatively high-risk population of antithrombotic medications users, as well as among a relatively low-risk population with a good control of vascular risk factors and no use of anticoagulants. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and validated a genomic risk score that predicts lifetime risk of ICH beyond established clinical risk factors among individuals of European ancestry. Whether implementation of the score in risk prognostication models for high-risk populations, such as patients under antithrombotic treatment, could improve clinical decision making should be explored in future studies.

Genetic Risk Score Improves Risk Stratification for Anticoagulation-Related Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the most devastating adverse outcome for patients on anticoagulants. Clinical risk scores that quantify bleeding risk can guide decision-making in situations when indication or duration for anticoagulation is uncertain. We investigated whether integration of a genetic risk score into an existing risk factor-based CRS could improve risk stratification for anticoagulation-related ICH. METHODS: We constructed 153 genetic risk scores from genome-wide association data of 1545 ICH cases and 1481 controls and validated them in 431 ICH cases and 431 matched controls from the population-based UK Biobank. The score that explained the largest variance in ICH risk was selected and tested for prediction of incident ICH in an independent cohort of 5530 anticoagulant users. A CRS for major anticoagulation-related hemorrhage, based on 8/9 components of the HAS-BLED score, was compared with a combined clinical and genetic risk score incorporating an additional point for high genetic risk for ICH. RESULTS: Among anticoagulated individuals, 94 ICH occurred over a mean follow-up of 11.9 years. Compared with the lowest genetic risk score tertile, being in the highest tertile was associated with a two-fold increased risk for incident ICH (hazard ratio, 2.08 [95% CI, 1.22-3.56]). Although the CRS predicted incident ICH with a hazard ratio of 1.24 per 1-point increase (95% CI [1.01-1.53]), adding a point for high genetic ICH risk led to a stronger association (hazard ratio of 1.33 per 1-point increase [95% CI, 1.11-1.59]) with improved risk stratification (C index 0.57 versus 0.53) and maintained calibration (integrated calibration index 0.001 for both). The new clinical and genetic risk score showed 19% improvement in high-risk classification among individuals with ICH and a net reclassification improvement of 0.10. CONCLUSIONS: Among anticoagulant users, a prediction score incorporating genomic information is superior to a clinical risk score alone for ICH risk stratification and could serve in clinical decision-making.

Polygenic Effect on Tau Pathology Progression in Alzheimer's Disease.

OBJECTIVE: Polygenic variation accounts for a substantial portion of the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its effect on the rate of fibrillar-tau accumulation as a key driver of dementia symptoms is unclear. METHODS: We combined the to-date largest number of genetic risk variants of AD (n = 85 lead single-nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) from recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to generate a polygenic score (PGS). We assessed longitudinal tau-positron emission tomography (PET), amyloid-PET, and cognition in 231 participants from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Using the PGS, together with global amyloid-PET, we predicted the rate of tau-PET increases in Braak-stage regions-of-interest and cognitive decline. We also assessed PGS-risk enrichment effects on the required sample size in clinical trials targeting tau pathology. RESULTS: We found that a higher PGS was associated with higher rates of tau-PET accumulation, in particular at elevated amyloid-PET levels. The tau-PET increases mediated the association between PGS and faster cognitive decline. Risk enrichment through high PGS afforded sample size savings by 34%. INTERPRETATION: Our results demonstrate that the PGS predicts faster tau progression and thus cognitive decline, showing utility to enhance statistical power in clinical trials. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:819-829.

Genetic proxies for PCSK9 inhibition associate with lipoprotein(a): Effects on coronary artery disease and ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Post hoc analyses of clinical trials show that PCSK9 inhibitors might lower lipoprotein(a), but whether this effect contributes to reductions in cardiovascular risk remains unknown. We aimed to assess whether genetically proxied PCSK9 inhibition influences lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), and whether any such effect could mediate its effects on coronary artery disease (CAD) and ischemic stroke (IS). METHODS: To explore associations between the genetic proxies for PCSK9 inhibitors and Lp(a) levels, we used UK Biobank data (310,020 individuals). We identified 10 variants in the PCSK9 gene associated with lower PCSK9 and LDL-C levels as proxies for PCSK9 inhibition. We explored the effects of genetically proxied PCSK9 inhibition on Lp(a) levels, as well as on odds of CAD (60,801 cases, 184,305 controls) and IS (60,341 cases, 454,450 controls) in two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses. In mediation analyses, we assessed the effects of genetically proxied PCSK9 inhibition on CAD and IS mediated through reductions in Lp(a) levels. RESULTS: Genetically proxied PCSK9 inhibition (1-SD decrement in PCSK9 concentration; corresponding to 20.6 mg/dl decrement in LDL-C levels) was associated with a 4% decrease in log-Lp(a) levels (beta: -0.038, 95%CI: -0.053 to -0.023). We estimated a 0.8% reduction in the odds for CAD (OR: 0.992, 95%CI: 0.989-0.995) and a 0.5% reduction in the odds for atherosclerotic IS (OR: 0.995, 95%CI: 0.992-0.998) due to reductions in Lp(a) levels through genetically proxied PCSK9 inhibition, corresponding to 3.8% and 3.2% of the total effects, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic proxies for PCSK9 inhibition are associated with lower Lp(a) levels. However, Lp(a) lowering explains only a small proportion of the total effects of genetic proxies for PCSK9 inhibitors on risk of CAD and IS.

Stroke genetics informs drug discovery and risk prediction across ancestries.

Previous genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of stroke - the second leading cause of death worldwide - were conducted predominantly in populations of European ancestry1,2. Here, in cross-ancestry GWAS meta-analyses of 110,182 patients who have had a stroke (five ancestries, 33% non-European) and 1,503,898 control individuals, we identify association signals for stroke and its subtypes at 89 (61 new) independent loci: 60 in primary inverse-variance-weighted analyses and 29 in secondary meta-regression and multitrait analyses. On the basis of internal cross-ancestry validation and an independent follow-up in 89,084 additional cases of stroke (30% non-European) and 1,013,843 control individuals, 87% of the primary stroke risk loci and 60% of the secondary stroke risk loci were replicated (P < 0.05). Effect sizes were highly correlated across ancestries. Cross-ancestry fine-mapping, in silico mutagenesis analysis3, and transcriptome-wide and proteome-wide association analyses revealed putative causal genes (such as SH3PXD2A and FURIN) and variants (such as at GRK5 and NOS3). Using a three-pronged approach4, we provide genetic evidence for putative drug effects, highlighting F11, KLKB1, PROC, GP1BA, LAMC2 and VCAM1 as possible targets, with drugs already under investigation for stroke for F11 and PROC. A polygenic score integrating cross-ancestry and ancestry-specific stroke GWASs with vascular-risk factor GWASs (integrative polygenic scores) strongly predicted ischaemic stroke in populations of European, East Asian and African ancestry5. Stroke genetic risk scores were predictive of ischaemic stroke independent of clinical risk factors in 52,600 clinical-trial participants with cardiometabolic disease. Our results provide insights to inform biology, reveal potential drug targets and derive genetic risk prediction tools across ancestries.

Associations of genetically predicted IL-6 signaling with cardiovascular disease risk across population subgroups.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin 6 (IL-6) signaling is being investigated as a therapeutic target for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). While changes in circulating high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) are used as a marker of IL-6 signaling, it is not known whether there is effect heterogeneity in relation to baseline hsCRP levels or other cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of this study was to explore the association of genetically predicted IL-6 signaling with CVD risk across populations stratified by baseline hsCRP levels and cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: Among 397,060 White British UK Biobank participants without known CVD at baseline, we calculated a genetic risk score for IL-6 receptor (IL-6R)-mediated signaling, composed of 26 variants at the IL6R gene locus. We then applied linear and non-linear Mendelian randomization analyses exploring associations with a combined endpoint of incident coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, peripheral artery disease, aortic aneurysm, and cardiovascular death stratifying by baseline hsCRP levels and cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS: The study participants (median age 59 years, 53.9% females) were followed-up for a median of 8.8 years, over which time a total of 46,033 incident cardiovascular events occurred. Genetically predicted IL-6R-mediated signaling activity was associated with higher CVD risk (hazard ratio per 1-mg/dL increment in absolute hsCRP levels: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06-1.17). The increase in CVD risk was linearly related to baseline absolute hsCRP levels. There was no evidence of heterogeneity in the association of genetically predicted IL-6R-mediated signaling with CVD risk when stratifying the population by sex, age, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, or systolic blood pressure, but there was evidence of greater associations in individuals with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥ 160 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: Any benefit of inhibiting IL-6 signaling for CVD risk reduction is likely to be proportional to absolute reductions in hsCRP levels. Therapeutic inhibition of IL-6 signaling for CVD risk reduction should therefore prioritize those individuals with the highest baseline levels of hsCRP.

Frequency and Phenotype Associations of Rare Variants in 5 Monogenic Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Genes in 200,000 UK Biobank Participants.

Background and Objectives: Based on previous case reports and disease-based cohorts, a minority of patients with cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) have a monogenic cause, with many also manifesting extracerebral phenotypes. We investigated the frequency, penetrance, and phenotype associations of putative pathogenic variants in cSVD genes in the UK Biobank (UKB), a large population-based study. Methods: We used a systematic review of previous literature and ClinVar to identify putative pathogenic rare variants in CTSA, TREX1, HTRA1, and COL4A1/2. We mapped phenotypes previously attributed to these variants (phenotypes-of-interest) to disease coding systems used in the UKB's linked health data from UK hospital admissions, death records, and primary care. Among 199,313 exome-sequenced UKB participants, we assessed the following: the proportion of participants carrying ≥1 variant(s); phenotype-of-interest penetrance; and the association between variant carrier status and phenotypes-of-interest using a binary (any phenotype present/absent) and phenotype burden (linear score of the number of phenotypes a participant possessed) approach. Results: Among UKB participants, 0.5% had ≥1 variant(s) in studied genes. Using hospital admission and death records, 4%-20% of variant carriers per gene had an associated phenotype. This increased to 7%-55% when including primary care records. Only COL4A1 variant carrier status was significantly associated with having ≥1 phenotype-of-interest and a higher phenotype score (OR = 1.29, p = 0.006). Discussion: While putative pathogenic rare variants in monogenic cSVD genes occur in 1:200 people in the UKB population, only approximately half of variant carriers have a relevant disease phenotype recorded in their linked health data. We could not replicate most previously reported gene-phenotype associations, suggesting lower penetrance rates, overestimated pathogenicity, and/or limited statistical power.

Complicated Carotid Artery Plaques and Risk of Recurrent Ischemic Stroke or TIA.

BACKGROUND: Complicated nonstenosing carotid artery plaques (CAPs) are an under-recognized cause of stroke. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether complicated CAP ipsilateral to acute ischemic anterior circulation stroke (icCAP) are associated with recurrent ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). METHODS: The CAPIAS (Carotid Plaque Imaging in Acute Stroke) multicenter study prospectively recruited patients with ischemic stroke restricted to the territory of a single carotid artery. Complicated (AHA-lesion type VI) CAP were defined by multisequence, contrast-enhanced carotid magnetic resonance imaging obtained within 10 days from stroke onset. Recurrent events were assessed after 3, 12, 24, and 36 months. The primary outcome was recurrent ischemic stroke or TIA. RESULTS: Among 196 patients enrolled, 104 patients had cryptogenic stroke and nonstenosing CAP. During a mean follow-up of 30 months, recurrent ischemic stroke or TIA occurred in 21 patients. Recurrent events were significantly more frequent in patients with icCAP than in patients without icCAP, both in the overall cohort (incidence rate [3-year interval]: 9.50 vs 3.61 per 100 patient-years; P = 0.025, log-rank test) and in patients with cryptogenic stroke (10.92 vs 1.82 per 100 patient-years; P = 0.003). The results were driven by ipsilateral events. A ruptured fibrous cap (HR: 4.91; 95% CI: 1.31-18.45; P = 0.018) and intraplaque hemorrhage (HR: 4.37; 95% CI: 1.20-15.97; P = 0.026) were associated with a significantly increased risk of recurrent events in patients with cryptogenic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Complicated CAP ipsilateral to acute ischemic anterior circulation stroke are associated with an increased risk of recurrent ischemic stroke or TIA. Carotid plaque imaging identifies high-risk patients who might be suited for inclusion into future secondary prevention trials. (Carotid Plaque Imaging in Acute Stroke [CAPIAS]; NCT01284933).

Genetically predicted on-statin LDL response is associated with higher intracerebral haemorrhage risk.

Statins lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and are widely used for the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Whether statin-induced low-density lipoprotein reduction increases risk of intracerebral haemorrhage has been debated for almost two decades. Here, we explored whether genetically predicted on-statin low-density lipoprotein response is associated with intracerebral haemorrhage risk using Mendelian randomization. Using genomic data from randomized trials, we derived a polygenic score from 35 single nucleotide polymorphisms of on-statin low-density lipoprotein response and tested it in the population-based UK Biobank. We extracted statin drug and dose information from primary care data on a subset of 225 195 UK Biobank participants covering a period of 29 years. We validated the effects of the genetic score on longitudinal low-density lipoprotein measurements with generalized mixed models and explored associations with incident intracerebral haemorrhage using Cox regression analysis. Statins were prescribed at least once to 75 973 (31%) of the study participants (mean 57 years, 55% females). Among statin users, mean low-density lipoprotein decreased by 3.45 mg/dl per year [95% confidence interval (CI): (-3.47, -3.42)] over follow-up. A higher genetic score of statin response [1 standard deviation (SD) increment] was associated with significant additional reductions in low-density lipoprotein levels [-0.05 mg/dl per year, (-0.07, -0.02)], showed concordant lipidomic effects on other lipid traits as statin use and was associated with a lower risk for incident myocardial infarction [hazard ratio per SD increment 0.98 95% CI (0.96, 0.99)] and peripheral artery disease [hazard ratio per SD increment 0.93 95% CI (0.87, 0.99)]. Over a 11-year follow-up period, a higher genetically predicted statin response among statin users was associated with higher intracerebral haemorrhage risk in a model adjusting for statin dose [hazard ratio per SD increment 1.16, 95% CI (1.05, 1.28)]. On the contrary, there was no association with intracerebral haemorrhage risk among statin non-users (P = 0.89). These results provide further support for the hypothesis that statin-induced low-density lipoprotein reduction may be causally associated with intracerebral haemorrhage risk. While the net benefit of statins for preventing vascular disease is well-established, these results provide insights about the personalized response to statin intake and the role of pharmacological low-density lipoprotein lowering in the pathogenesis of intracerebral haemorrhage.