Integrating Metabolomics, Genomics, and Disease Pathways in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The EYE-RISK Consortium
Publication year
2020Author(s)
Source
Ophthalmology, 127, 12, (2020), pp. 1693-1709ISSN
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor
Display more detailsDisplay less details
Organization
Ophthalmology
Internal Medicine
Health Evidence
Human Genetics
Journal title
Ophthalmology
Volume
vol. 127
Issue
iss. 12
Page start
p. 1693
Page end
p. 1709
Subject
Radboudumc 12: Sensory disorders DCMN: Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience; Radboudumc 15: Urological cancers RIHS: Radboud Institute for Health Sciences; Radboudumc 16: Vascular damage RIHS: Radboud Institute for Health SciencesAbstract
PURPOSE: The current study aimed to identify metabolites associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by performing the largest metabolome association analysis in AMD to date, as well as aiming to determine the effect of AMD-associated genetic variants on metabolite levels and investigate associations between the identified metabolites and activity of the complement system, one of the main AMD-associated disease pathways. DESIGN: Case-control association analysis of metabolomics data. PARTICIPANTS: Five European cohorts consisting of 2267 AMD patients and 4266 control participants. METHODS: Metabolomics was performed using a high-throughput proton nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics platform, which allows quantification of 146 metabolite measurements and 79 derivative values. Metabolome-AMD associations were studied using univariate logistic regression analyses. The effect of 52 AMD-associated genetic variants on the identified metabolites was investigated using linear regression. In addition, associations between the identified metabolites and activity of the complement pathway (defined by the C3d-to-C3 ratio) were investigated using linear regression. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Metabolites associated with AMD. RESULTS: We identified 60 metabolites that were associated significantly with AMD, including increased levels of large and extra-large high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subclasses and decreased levels of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), amino acids, and citrate. Of 52 AMD-associated genetic variants, 7 variants were associated significantly with 34 of the identified metabolites. The strongest associations were identified for genetic variants located in or near genes involved in lipid metabolism (ABCA1, CETP, APOE, and LIPC) with metabolites belonging to the large and extra-large HDL subclasses. Also, 57 of 60 metabolites were associated significantly with complement activation levels, independent of AMD status. Increased large and extra-large HDL levels and decreased VLDL and amino acid levels were associated with increased complement activation. CONCLUSIONS: Lipoprotein levels were associated with AMD-associated genetic variants, whereas decreased essential amino acids may point to nutritional deficiencies in AMD. We observed strong associations between the vast majority of the AMD-associated metabolites and systemic complement activation levels, independent of AMD status. This may indicate biological interactions between the main AMD disease pathways and suggests that multiple pathways may need to be targeted simultaneously for successful treatment of AMD.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Academic publications [238441]
- Electronic publications [122523]
- Faculty of Medical Sciences [90373]
- Open Access publications [97518]
Upload full text
Use your RU credentials (u/z-number and password) to log in with SURFconext to upload a file for processing by the repository team.