Cross ethnic Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal relationship between air pollution and risk of kidney stones

Abstract Accumulating evidence has indicated that exposures to air pollution increase the odds of kidney stones. However, the previous research methods were limited. To address this gap, we employed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) datasets and Mendelian randomization (MR) to verify the causat...

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Main Authors: Shuangping Li, Aijia Mu, Zhinan Jing, Ziyi Liu, Xinfang Cao, Jincheng Guo, Yujia Xi, Qiang Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97436-y
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author Shuangping Li
Aijia Mu
Zhinan Jing
Ziyi Liu
Xinfang Cao
Jincheng Guo
Yujia Xi
Qiang Guo
author_facet Shuangping Li
Aijia Mu
Zhinan Jing
Ziyi Liu
Xinfang Cao
Jincheng Guo
Yujia Xi
Qiang Guo
author_sort Shuangping Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Accumulating evidence has indicated that exposures to air pollution increase the odds of kidney stones. However, the previous research methods were limited. To address this gap, we employed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) datasets and Mendelian randomization (MR) to verify the causation. Applying publicly accessible summary datasets from UK Biobank, FinnGen consortium and Biobank Japan, a two-sample MR, and further multivariate MR were carried out to calculate the causality between air pollution [particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), PM2.5 absorbance, PM2.5–10, PM10, nitrogen dioxide, and nitrogen oxides] and kidney stone risk in three different populations (European, East Asian, and South Asian). The inverse variance weighted (IVW) was utilized for its first-step assessment, supplemented with MR-Egger, weighted median, Cochran’s Q test, MR-Egger intercept and leave-one-out analysis to ensure the robustness. Employing IVW, we discovered in the European population that PM2.5 absorbance was statistically correlated with kidney stone risk (odds ratio (OR) = 1.40; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–1.94; P = 0.04), with no heterogeneity, pleiotropy, or sensitivity observed. Additionally, the MVMR result revealed the directly causative connection between a single PM2.5 absorbance and the increase in kidney stone risk (OR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.06–2.98, p = 0.03). Our investigation proposed the correlation between PM2.5 absorbance and an increased risk of kidney stones in European populations. The control of air pollution, especially PM2.5, may have crucial implications for the prevention of kidney stones.
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spelling doaj-art-5c1ab3b2813b4e668180428bdc876fda2025-08-20T02:12:06ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-011511810.1038/s41598-025-97436-yCross ethnic Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal relationship between air pollution and risk of kidney stonesShuangping Li0Aijia Mu1Zhinan Jing2Ziyi Liu3Xinfang Cao4Jincheng Guo5Yujia Xi6Qiang Guo7Department of Urology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical UniversityMale Reproductive Health Research Center, Shanxi Medical UniversityMale Reproductive Health Research Center, Shanxi Medical UniversityMale Reproductive Health Research Center, Shanxi Medical UniversityMale Reproductive Health Research Center, Shanxi Medical UniversityMale Reproductive Health Research Center, Shanxi Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical UniversityDepartment of Urology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical UniversityAbstract Accumulating evidence has indicated that exposures to air pollution increase the odds of kidney stones. However, the previous research methods were limited. To address this gap, we employed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) datasets and Mendelian randomization (MR) to verify the causation. Applying publicly accessible summary datasets from UK Biobank, FinnGen consortium and Biobank Japan, a two-sample MR, and further multivariate MR were carried out to calculate the causality between air pollution [particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), PM2.5 absorbance, PM2.5–10, PM10, nitrogen dioxide, and nitrogen oxides] and kidney stone risk in three different populations (European, East Asian, and South Asian). The inverse variance weighted (IVW) was utilized for its first-step assessment, supplemented with MR-Egger, weighted median, Cochran’s Q test, MR-Egger intercept and leave-one-out analysis to ensure the robustness. Employing IVW, we discovered in the European population that PM2.5 absorbance was statistically correlated with kidney stone risk (odds ratio (OR) = 1.40; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–1.94; P = 0.04), with no heterogeneity, pleiotropy, or sensitivity observed. Additionally, the MVMR result revealed the directly causative connection between a single PM2.5 absorbance and the increase in kidney stone risk (OR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.06–2.98, p = 0.03). Our investigation proposed the correlation between PM2.5 absorbance and an increased risk of kidney stones in European populations. The control of air pollution, especially PM2.5, may have crucial implications for the prevention of kidney stones.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97436-yPM2.5 absorbanceKidney stone disease (kidney stone)Air pollutionMendelian randomizationGenome-wide association studies
spellingShingle Shuangping Li
Aijia Mu
Zhinan Jing
Ziyi Liu
Xinfang Cao
Jincheng Guo
Yujia Xi
Qiang Guo
Cross ethnic Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal relationship between air pollution and risk of kidney stones
Scientific Reports
PM2.5 absorbance
Kidney stone disease (kidney stone)
Air pollution
Mendelian randomization
Genome-wide association studies
title Cross ethnic Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal relationship between air pollution and risk of kidney stones
title_full Cross ethnic Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal relationship between air pollution and risk of kidney stones
title_fullStr Cross ethnic Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal relationship between air pollution and risk of kidney stones
title_full_unstemmed Cross ethnic Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal relationship between air pollution and risk of kidney stones
title_short Cross ethnic Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal relationship between air pollution and risk of kidney stones
title_sort cross ethnic mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal relationship between air pollution and risk of kidney stones
topic PM2.5 absorbance
Kidney stone disease (kidney stone)
Air pollution
Mendelian randomization
Genome-wide association studies
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97436-y
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