Association and shared biological bases between birth weight and cortical structure

Abstract Associations between birth weight and cortical structural phenotypes have been detected; however, the understanding is incomprehensive, and the potential biological bases are not well defined. Leveraging data from genome-wide association studies, we investigated the associations and the sha...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lu Zhang, Qiaoyue Ge, Zeyuan Sun, Rui Zhang, Xinxi Li, Xiaoli Luo, Run Tian, Yuheng Cao, Chunyan Pu, Lin Li, Dongsheng Wu, Ping Jiang, Chuan Yu, Chiara Nosarti, Chenghan Xiao, Zhenmi Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-03-01
Series:Translational Psychiatry
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03294-7
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850252327991115776
author Lu Zhang
Qiaoyue Ge
Zeyuan Sun
Rui Zhang
Xinxi Li
Xiaoli Luo
Run Tian
Yuheng Cao
Chunyan Pu
Lin Li
Dongsheng Wu
Ping Jiang
Chuan Yu
Chiara Nosarti
Chenghan Xiao
Zhenmi Liu
author_facet Lu Zhang
Qiaoyue Ge
Zeyuan Sun
Rui Zhang
Xinxi Li
Xiaoli Luo
Run Tian
Yuheng Cao
Chunyan Pu
Lin Li
Dongsheng Wu
Ping Jiang
Chuan Yu
Chiara Nosarti
Chenghan Xiao
Zhenmi Liu
author_sort Lu Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Associations between birth weight and cortical structural phenotypes have been detected; however, the understanding is incomprehensive, and the potential biological bases are not well defined. Leveraging data from genome-wide association studies, we investigated the associations and the shared transcriptomic, proteomic and cellular bases of birth weight and 13 cortical structural phenotypes. Mendelian randomization analyses were performed to examine associations between birth weight and cortical structure. Downstream transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS), proteome-wide association study (PWAS) and summary-based Mendelian randomization (SMR) analyses were utilized to identify the shared cis-regulated gene expressions and proteins. Finally, cell-type expression-specific integration for complex traits (CELLECT) analyses were conducted to explore the enriched cell types. The Mendelian randomization analyses found positive associations between birth weight and global cortical folding index, intrinsic curvature index, local gyrification index, surface area and volume. Downstream transcriptomic-level TWAS and SMR identified three gene expressions both linked to birth weight and at least one cortical structural phenotype (CNNM2, RABGAP1 and CENPW). Parallel PWAS and SMR analyses at the proteomic level identified four proteins linked to both phenotypes (CNNM2, RAB7L1, RAB5B and PPA2), of which CNNM2 was replicated. CELLECT analyses revealed brain cell types enriched in birth weight, including pericytes, inhibitory GABAergic neurons and cerebrovascular cells. These findings support the importance of early life growth to cortical structure, and suggest underlying transcriptomic, proteomic and cellular bases. These results provide intriguing targets for further research into the mechanisms of cortical development.
format Article
id doaj-art-8fc11d4dfc2c4742bed09c26e4ecb54c
institution OA Journals
issn 2158-3188
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Publishing Group
record_format Article
series Translational Psychiatry
spelling doaj-art-8fc11d4dfc2c4742bed09c26e4ecb54c2025-08-20T01:57:40ZengNature Publishing GroupTranslational Psychiatry2158-31882025-03-011511910.1038/s41398-025-03294-7Association and shared biological bases between birth weight and cortical structureLu Zhang0Qiaoyue Ge1Zeyuan Sun2Rui Zhang3Xinxi Li4Xiaoli Luo5Run Tian6Yuheng Cao7Chunyan Pu8Lin Li9Dongsheng Wu10Ping Jiang11Chuan Yu12Chiara Nosarti13Chenghan Xiao14Zhenmi Liu15Department of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College LondonDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Radiology, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College LondonDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityDepartment of Maternal and Child Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan UniversityAbstract Associations between birth weight and cortical structural phenotypes have been detected; however, the understanding is incomprehensive, and the potential biological bases are not well defined. Leveraging data from genome-wide association studies, we investigated the associations and the shared transcriptomic, proteomic and cellular bases of birth weight and 13 cortical structural phenotypes. Mendelian randomization analyses were performed to examine associations between birth weight and cortical structure. Downstream transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS), proteome-wide association study (PWAS) and summary-based Mendelian randomization (SMR) analyses were utilized to identify the shared cis-regulated gene expressions and proteins. Finally, cell-type expression-specific integration for complex traits (CELLECT) analyses were conducted to explore the enriched cell types. The Mendelian randomization analyses found positive associations between birth weight and global cortical folding index, intrinsic curvature index, local gyrification index, surface area and volume. Downstream transcriptomic-level TWAS and SMR identified three gene expressions both linked to birth weight and at least one cortical structural phenotype (CNNM2, RABGAP1 and CENPW). Parallel PWAS and SMR analyses at the proteomic level identified four proteins linked to both phenotypes (CNNM2, RAB7L1, RAB5B and PPA2), of which CNNM2 was replicated. CELLECT analyses revealed brain cell types enriched in birth weight, including pericytes, inhibitory GABAergic neurons and cerebrovascular cells. These findings support the importance of early life growth to cortical structure, and suggest underlying transcriptomic, proteomic and cellular bases. These results provide intriguing targets for further research into the mechanisms of cortical development.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03294-7
spellingShingle Lu Zhang
Qiaoyue Ge
Zeyuan Sun
Rui Zhang
Xinxi Li
Xiaoli Luo
Run Tian
Yuheng Cao
Chunyan Pu
Lin Li
Dongsheng Wu
Ping Jiang
Chuan Yu
Chiara Nosarti
Chenghan Xiao
Zhenmi Liu
Association and shared biological bases between birth weight and cortical structure
Translational Psychiatry
title Association and shared biological bases between birth weight and cortical structure
title_full Association and shared biological bases between birth weight and cortical structure
title_fullStr Association and shared biological bases between birth weight and cortical structure
title_full_unstemmed Association and shared biological bases between birth weight and cortical structure
title_short Association and shared biological bases between birth weight and cortical structure
title_sort association and shared biological bases between birth weight and cortical structure
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03294-7
work_keys_str_mv AT luzhang associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT qiaoyuege associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT zeyuansun associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT ruizhang associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT xinxili associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT xiaoliluo associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT runtian associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT yuhengcao associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT chunyanpu associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT linli associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT dongshengwu associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT pingjiang associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT chuanyu associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT chiaranosarti associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT chenghanxiao associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure
AT zhenmiliu associationandsharedbiologicalbasesbetweenbirthweightandcorticalstructure