The causal associations of 25(OH)D and its metabolites with oropharyngeal cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization study

Background: Previous studies have suggested that there are distinct correlations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and its metabolites with the risk of developing health conditions and cancer; however, the precise nature of these associations in patients with oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) is unknown. O...

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Main Authors: YaoHui Yu, Yu Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Medical Journals Sweden 2025-07-01
Series:Acta Odontologica Scandinavica
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Online Access:https://medicaljournalssweden.se/actaodontologica/article/view/44053
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author YaoHui Yu
Yu Zhou
author_facet YaoHui Yu
Yu Zhou
author_sort YaoHui Yu
collection DOAJ
description Background: Previous studies have suggested that there are distinct correlations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and its metabolites with the risk of developing health conditions and cancer; however, the precise nature of these associations in patients with oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) is unknown. Our primary objective was to evaluate the causal impact of 25(OH)D and its metabolites, including 25(OH)D3 and its epimer C3-epi-25(OH)D3, on susceptibility to OPC through the use of Mendelian randomization (MR) methodology. Methods: Mendelian randomization analysis was performed on data from 291 patients with OPC from Europe, North America, and South America using genetic variant strongly related to C3-epi-25(OH)D3, 25(OH)D, and 25(OH)D3 exposure. The primary analytical method for two-sample MR analysis was inverse-variance weighting (IVW); supplemental analyses (weighted median [WM], MR–Egger) were also conducted. Leave-one-out and Cochran’s Q tests were concurrently used as sensitivity analyses to test and adjust for pleiotropy. Results: Our MR analysis provided evidence suggesting that greater 25(OH)D3 levels are causally associated with a decreased risk of developing OPC within the European population (WM OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.24–0.91, p = 0.03). Only one of the 21 MR analyses yielded significant results; for this MR analysis, the IVW results were significant, but subsequent leave-one-out analyses revealed instability in the causal association. However, the association was significant when rs9304669 was excluded (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.28–0.91, p = 0.02), whereas the other results were not statistically significant. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the results were reliable, with no observed heterogeneity or pleiotropy. Conclusions: There was no evidence that 25(OH)D, 25(OH)D3 or C3-epi-25(OH)D3 levels are associated with OPC risk or that 25OHD supplementation in the general population prevents OPC. The registration number is INPLASY202490081.
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spelling doaj-art-677f6de69a6d49e58df366c2feb00df42025-08-20T03:13:18ZengMedical Journals SwedenActa Odontologica Scandinavica0001-63571502-38502025-07-018410.2340/aos.v84.44053The causal associations of 25(OH)D and its metabolites with oropharyngeal cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization studyYaoHui Yu0Yu Zhou1Department of Children Stomatology and Oral Prevention, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. ChinaDepartment of Orthodontics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China Background: Previous studies have suggested that there are distinct correlations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and its metabolites with the risk of developing health conditions and cancer; however, the precise nature of these associations in patients with oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) is unknown. Our primary objective was to evaluate the causal impact of 25(OH)D and its metabolites, including 25(OH)D3 and its epimer C3-epi-25(OH)D3, on susceptibility to OPC through the use of Mendelian randomization (MR) methodology. Methods: Mendelian randomization analysis was performed on data from 291 patients with OPC from Europe, North America, and South America using genetic variant strongly related to C3-epi-25(OH)D3, 25(OH)D, and 25(OH)D3 exposure. The primary analytical method for two-sample MR analysis was inverse-variance weighting (IVW); supplemental analyses (weighted median [WM], MR–Egger) were also conducted. Leave-one-out and Cochran’s Q tests were concurrently used as sensitivity analyses to test and adjust for pleiotropy. Results: Our MR analysis provided evidence suggesting that greater 25(OH)D3 levels are causally associated with a decreased risk of developing OPC within the European population (WM OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.24–0.91, p = 0.03). Only one of the 21 MR analyses yielded significant results; for this MR analysis, the IVW results were significant, but subsequent leave-one-out analyses revealed instability in the causal association. However, the association was significant when rs9304669 was excluded (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.28–0.91, p = 0.02), whereas the other results were not statistically significant. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the results were reliable, with no observed heterogeneity or pleiotropy. Conclusions: There was no evidence that 25(OH)D, 25(OH)D3 or C3-epi-25(OH)D3 levels are associated with OPC risk or that 25OHD supplementation in the general population prevents OPC. The registration number is INPLASY202490081. https://medicaljournalssweden.se/actaodontologica/article/view/44053oropharyngeal cancermendelian randomization25(OH)D25(OH)D3C3-epi-25(OH)D3
spellingShingle YaoHui Yu
Yu Zhou
The causal associations of 25(OH)D and its metabolites with oropharyngeal cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization study
Acta Odontologica Scandinavica
oropharyngeal cancer
mendelian randomization
25(OH)D
25(OH)D3
C3-epi-25(OH)D3
title The causal associations of 25(OH)D and its metabolites with oropharyngeal cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization study
title_full The causal associations of 25(OH)D and its metabolites with oropharyngeal cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization study
title_fullStr The causal associations of 25(OH)D and its metabolites with oropharyngeal cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization study
title_full_unstemmed The causal associations of 25(OH)D and its metabolites with oropharyngeal cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization study
title_short The causal associations of 25(OH)D and its metabolites with oropharyngeal cancer risk: a Mendelian randomization study
title_sort causal associations of 25 oh d and its metabolites with oropharyngeal cancer risk a mendelian randomization study
topic oropharyngeal cancer
mendelian randomization
25(OH)D
25(OH)D3
C3-epi-25(OH)D3
url https://medicaljournalssweden.se/actaodontologica/article/view/44053
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