遗传 ›› 2024, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (10): 833-848.doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.24-179

• 综述 • 上一篇    下一篇

孟德尔随机化分析在结直肠癌血液标志物遗传背景研究中的应用

万欣坤1,2(), 虞诗诚2, 梅松青2,3, 钟雯2,3()   

  1. 1.华中科技大学生命科学与技术学院,武汉 430074
    2.广州国家实验室,广州 510005
    3.广州医科大学附属肿瘤医院,广州 511436
  • 收稿日期:2024-06-18 修回日期:2024-08-21 出版日期:2024-08-30 发布日期:2024-08-30
  • 通讯作者: 钟雯,博士,研究员,博士生导师,研究方向:精准医学。E-mail: zhong_wen@gzlab.ac.cn
  • 作者简介:万欣坤,博士研究生,专业方向:生物与医药。E-mail: xinkunw@hust.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:
    国家自然科学基金项目(8230102287)

Application of Mendelian randomization analysis in investigating the genetic background of blood biomarkers for colorectal cancer

Xinkun Wan1,2(), Shicheng Yu2, Songqing Mei2,3, Wen Zhong2,3()   

  1. 1. College of Life Science and Technology,Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
    2. Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou 510005, China
    3. Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
  • Received:2024-06-18 Revised:2024-08-21 Published:2024-08-30 Online:2024-08-30
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(8230102287)

摘要:

结直肠癌(colorectal cancer,CRC)是一种发生在结肠和直肠的消化道癌症,是全球第三常见癌症,也是癌症相关死亡的第二大原因。CRC的早期发现对于预防转移、降低死亡率、改善预后和提高患者生活质量至关重要。遗传因素在CRC的发生中扮演重要角色,可解释高达35%的疾病风险。全基因组关联研究已发现多个与CRC风险相关的遗传位点,但缺乏直接因果关系的证据。虽然传统的血液标志物如癌胚抗原(carcinoembryonic antigen,CEA)和糖类抗原19-9(CA19-9)已被广泛用于CRC诊断和监测,但在早期诊断应用中的灵敏度和准确性有限,仍需要开发新的能够反映遗传背景的生物标志物或其组合,以促进早期诊断和提高诊断准确性。同时,理解这些生物标志物的遗传机制对于揭示CRC的发病机制至关重要,并有助于开发更加精准的个体化治疗策略。孟德尔随机化(Mendelian randomization,MR)分析作为一种新兴的流行病学工具,通过减少观察性研究中存在的偏差问题,能够更精确地评估遗传变异与疾病间的因果关系。目前,MR分析已被用于评估多种血液标志物对CRC风险的因果影响,可更准确地表明血液标志物与CRC发病机制之间的潜在因果关系。本文综述了MR分析在CRC血液标志物研究中的应用,旨在为CRC的早期诊断和个体化治疗提供理论基础。

关键词: 结直肠癌, 孟德尔随机化, 工具变量, 遗传因素, 生物标志物, 早期诊断

Abstract:

Colorectal cancer (CRC), a malignancy affecting the colon and rectum, ranks as the third most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Early detection of CRC is crucial for preventing metastasis, reducing mortality, improving prognosis, and enhancing patients’ quality of life. Genetic factors play a significant role in CRC development, accounting for up to 35% of the disease risk. Genome-wide association studies have identified several genetic loci associated with CRC risk. However, these studies often lack direct evidence of causality. While traditional blood biomarkers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) are widely used for CRC diagnosis and monitoring, their sensitivity and accuracy in early diagnosis are limited. Thus, there is a pressing need to develop new biomarkers that reflect the genetic background of CRC to improve early detection and diagnostic accuracy. In addition, understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying these biomarkers is essential for elucidating CRC pathogenesis and developing precise personalized treatment strategies. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, as an emerging epidemiological tool, can accurately assess the causal relationship between genetic variations and diseases by reducing confounding biases in observational studies. MR analysis has been applied in evaluating the causal impact of various blood biomarkers on CRC risk, shedding lights on the potential causal relationships between these biomarkers and CRC pathogenesis in the context of genetic background. In this review, we summarize the applications of MR analysis in studies of blood biomarkers for CRC, aiming to enhance the early diagnosis and personalized treatment of CRC.

Key words: colorectal cancer, Mendelian randomization, instrumental variables, genetics, biomarker, early diagnosis