背景:在原发性开角型青光眼(POAG)中,降低眼内压(IOP)是减缓视力丧失的唯一有效方法。Schlemm管(SC)是一种混合血管和淋巴管,可介导房水从眼前房引流。动物研究支持SC内皮血管生成素-TEK信号传导的重要性,最近的TIE1信号,维持正常的眼压。然而,目前缺乏对TIE1和TEK信号在降低IOP中的因果作用的人类基因支持.
方法:获得了血浆可溶性TIE1(sTIE1)蛋白水平的GWAS汇总统计数据(N=35,559),可溶性TEK(sTEK)蛋白水平(N=35,559),IOP(N=139,555)和POAG(病例=16,677,对照=199,580)。进行孟德尔随机化(MR)以评估遗传代理的TIE1和TEK蛋白水平与IOP和POAG责任的关联。如果获得了重要的MR估计,进行了遗传共定位,以评估TIE1/TEK信号传导和结局相关的共有因果变异(PPshared)与不同因果变异(PPdistinct)的概率.利用公开的单核RNA测序数据来研究TIE1和TEK在人眼前段中的差异表达。
结果:与IOP降低相关的遗传代理TIE1信号和TEK信号增加(sTIE1每SD增加-0.21mmHg,95%CI=-0.09至-0.33mmHg,P=6.57×10-4,sTEK每减少0.14mmHg,95%CI=-0.03至-0.25mmHg,P=0.011),但不是POAG责任。共同定位分析发现,TIE1和IOP的共享因果变异的概率高于TEK和IOP(TIE1的PPshared/(PPdistinctPPshared)=0.98,TEK的0.30)。在前段,TIE1和TEK在SC中优先表达,淋巴管,和血管内皮。
结论:这项研究为TIE1和TEK信号在调节IOP中的因果作用提供了新的人类基因支持。这里,与TEK相比,来自顺式-MR和共定位分析的综合证据对TIE1作为潜在的降低IOP的治疗靶点提供了更强的支持.
In primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only proven way of slowing vision loss. Schlemm\'s canal (SC) is a hybrid vascular and lymphatic vessel that mediates aqueous humour drainage from the anterior ocular chamber. Animal studies support the importance of SC endothelial angiopoietin-
TEK signalling, and more recently TIE1 signalling, in maintaining normal IOP. However, human genetic support for a causal role of TIE1 and
TEK signalling in lowering IOP is currently lacking.
GWAS summary statistics were obtained for plasma soluble TIE1 (sTIE1) protein levels (N = 35,559), soluble
TEK (sTEK) protein levels (N = 35,559), IOP (N = 139,555) and POAG (Ncases = 16,677, Ncontrols = 199,580). Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed to estimate the association of genetically proxied TIE1 and TEK protein levels with IOP and POAG liability. Where significant MR estimates were obtained, genetic colocalization was performed to assess the probability of a shared causal variant (PPshared) versus distinct (PPdistinct) causal variants underlying TIE1/
TEK signalling and the outcome. Publicly available single-nucleus RNA-sequencing data were leveraged to investigate differential expression of TIE1 and TEK in the human ocular anterior segment.
Increased genetically proxied TIE1 signalling and TEK signalling associated with a reduction in IOP (- 0.21 mmHg per SD increase in sTIE1, 95% CI = - 0.09 to - 0.33 mmHg, P = 6.57 × 10-4, and - 0.14 mmHg per SD decrease in sTEK, 95% CI = - 0.03 to - 0.25 mmHg, P = 0.011), but not with POAG liability. Colocalization analysis found that the probability of a shared causal variant was greater for TIE1 and IOP than for TEK and IOP (PPshared/(PPdistinct + PPshared) = 0.98 for TIE1 and 0.30 for
TEK). In the anterior segment, TIE1 and TEK were preferentially expressed in SC, lymphatic, and vascular endothelium.
This study provides novel human genetic support for a causal role of both TIE1 and TEK signalling in regulating IOP. Here, combined evidence from cis-MR and colocalization analyses provide stronger support for TIE1 than TEK as a potential IOP-lowering therapeutic target.