Association between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

Abstract Previous research suggests a link between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears, but the specific protein remains unclear. This two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study used genetic variants from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 14,824 primarily European participants. W...

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Main Authors: Yao Wang, Binbin Xu, Chenhao Ma, Donghai Huang, Li Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12785-y
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author Yao Wang
Binbin Xu
Chenhao Ma
Donghai Huang
Li Zhou
author_facet Yao Wang
Binbin Xu
Chenhao Ma
Donghai Huang
Li Zhou
author_sort Yao Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Previous research suggests a link between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears, but the specific protein remains unclear. This two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study used genetic variants from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 14,824 primarily European participants. We analyzed 91 circulating inflammatory proteins using inverse variance weighting (IVW) and validated results with MR-Egger, the weighted median approach, and sensitivity tests. MR analysis identified three inflammatory proteins with significant associations in the IVW analysis: Interleukin-20 (IL-20) levels (OR = 1.225, 95% CI = 1.036 − 1.450, P = 0.044), Leukemia inhibitory factor levels (LIF) (OR = 1.380, 95% CI = 1.008 − 1.889, P = 0.044), and Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) (OR = 1.183, 95% CI = 1.059 − 1.321, P = 0.015). Elevated IL-20, LIF and SLAM increased the risk of rotator cuff tears. This MR study reveals a potential association between IL-20, LIF and SLAM and the risk of rotator cuff tears, providing insights into their pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.
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spelling doaj-art-8360e69caafd474e96943ba015ed12f82025-08-20T03:05:21ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-12785-yAssociation between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization studyYao Wang0Binbin Xu1Chenhao Ma2Donghai Huang3Li Zhou4Zhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese MedicineZhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese MedicineZhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese MedicineZhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese MedicineDepartment of Orthopaedic, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hainan Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese MedicineAbstract Previous research suggests a link between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears, but the specific protein remains unclear. This two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study used genetic variants from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 14,824 primarily European participants. We analyzed 91 circulating inflammatory proteins using inverse variance weighting (IVW) and validated results with MR-Egger, the weighted median approach, and sensitivity tests. MR analysis identified three inflammatory proteins with significant associations in the IVW analysis: Interleukin-20 (IL-20) levels (OR = 1.225, 95% CI = 1.036 − 1.450, P = 0.044), Leukemia inhibitory factor levels (LIF) (OR = 1.380, 95% CI = 1.008 − 1.889, P = 0.044), and Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) (OR = 1.183, 95% CI = 1.059 − 1.321, P = 0.015). Elevated IL-20, LIF and SLAM increased the risk of rotator cuff tears. This MR study reveals a potential association between IL-20, LIF and SLAM and the risk of rotator cuff tears, providing insights into their pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12785-yRotator cuff tearsInflammatory proteinsMendelian randomizationInterleukin-20Leukemia inhibitory factorSignaling lymphocytic activation molecule
spellingShingle Yao Wang
Binbin Xu
Chenhao Ma
Donghai Huang
Li Zhou
Association between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Scientific Reports
Rotator cuff tears
Inflammatory proteins
Mendelian randomization
Interleukin-20
Leukemia inhibitory factor
Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule
title Association between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
title_full Association between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
title_fullStr Association between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
title_full_unstemmed Association between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
title_short Association between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
title_sort association between inflammatory proteins and rotator cuff tears a bidirectional mendelian randomization study
topic Rotator cuff tears
Inflammatory proteins
Mendelian randomization
Interleukin-20
Leukemia inhibitory factor
Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12785-y
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AT donghaihuang associationbetweeninflammatoryproteinsandrotatorcufftearsabidirectionalmendelianrandomizationstudy
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