Genetic insights support PARP1 as a mediator in the protective association of ATP-citrate lyase inhibitors with melanoma

Abstract ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) inhibitors emerge as a promising anti-cancer strategy, yet their causal effects across various cancer types remain unclear. Here, we employ a drug-target Mendelian randomization (MR) approach using four cis-expression quantitative trait loci for blood ACLY gene expr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jiawen Lu, Gloria Hoi-Yee Li, Jingyi Hu, Zhenqian Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07860-z
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849730844213641216
author Jiawen Lu
Gloria Hoi-Yee Li
Jingyi Hu
Zhenqian Wang
author_facet Jiawen Lu
Gloria Hoi-Yee Li
Jingyi Hu
Zhenqian Wang
author_sort Jiawen Lu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) inhibitors emerge as a promising anti-cancer strategy, yet their causal effects across various cancer types remain unclear. Here, we employ a drug-target Mendelian randomization (MR) approach using four cis-expression quantitative trait loci for blood ACLY gene expression as genetic instruments to mimic ACLY inhibition. We utilize genetic data from the eQTLGen consortium (N = 31,684) for ACLY expression, the deCODE study (N = 35,559) for plasma proteome, and large-scale cancer genome-wide association studies consortia (N from 49,708 to 417,127) to investigate the association of genetically mimicked ACLY inhibitors with 17 cancers and identify potential mediating proteins. Genetically proxied ACLY inhibition is strongly associated with reduced melanoma risk (odds ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 0.85 [0.78, 0.92]) in a combined analysis of two independent outcome datasets. Proteome-wide MR screening 1517 plasma proteins identifies 3 proteins associated with melanoma, with Poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase 1 (PARP1) showing strong colocalization support. Mediation analysis further suggests PARP1 as a mediator in the protective effect of ACLY inhibition on melanoma (mediated proportion [95% CI]: 51.52% [5.45%, 97.58%]). Follow-up and validation analyses support the robustness of these results. This study illuminates the therapeutic potential of ACLY inhibition in melanoma, with PARP1 implicated as a potential mediator, offering avenues for targeted interventions.
format Article
id doaj-art-a68840a463f74e85962bba3af44efed3
institution DOAJ
issn 2399-3642
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Communications Biology
spelling doaj-art-a68840a463f74e85962bba3af44efed32025-08-20T03:08:44ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-05-018111210.1038/s42003-025-07860-zGenetic insights support PARP1 as a mediator in the protective association of ATP-citrate lyase inhibitors with melanomaJiawen Lu0Gloria Hoi-Yee Li1Jingyi Hu2Zhenqian Wang3Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityDepartment of Health Technology and Informatics, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityDepartment of Health Technology and Informatics, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityAbstract ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) inhibitors emerge as a promising anti-cancer strategy, yet their causal effects across various cancer types remain unclear. Here, we employ a drug-target Mendelian randomization (MR) approach using four cis-expression quantitative trait loci for blood ACLY gene expression as genetic instruments to mimic ACLY inhibition. We utilize genetic data from the eQTLGen consortium (N = 31,684) for ACLY expression, the deCODE study (N = 35,559) for plasma proteome, and large-scale cancer genome-wide association studies consortia (N from 49,708 to 417,127) to investigate the association of genetically mimicked ACLY inhibitors with 17 cancers and identify potential mediating proteins. Genetically proxied ACLY inhibition is strongly associated with reduced melanoma risk (odds ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 0.85 [0.78, 0.92]) in a combined analysis of two independent outcome datasets. Proteome-wide MR screening 1517 plasma proteins identifies 3 proteins associated with melanoma, with Poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase 1 (PARP1) showing strong colocalization support. Mediation analysis further suggests PARP1 as a mediator in the protective effect of ACLY inhibition on melanoma (mediated proportion [95% CI]: 51.52% [5.45%, 97.58%]). Follow-up and validation analyses support the robustness of these results. This study illuminates the therapeutic potential of ACLY inhibition in melanoma, with PARP1 implicated as a potential mediator, offering avenues for targeted interventions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07860-z
spellingShingle Jiawen Lu
Gloria Hoi-Yee Li
Jingyi Hu
Zhenqian Wang
Genetic insights support PARP1 as a mediator in the protective association of ATP-citrate lyase inhibitors with melanoma
Communications Biology
title Genetic insights support PARP1 as a mediator in the protective association of ATP-citrate lyase inhibitors with melanoma
title_full Genetic insights support PARP1 as a mediator in the protective association of ATP-citrate lyase inhibitors with melanoma
title_fullStr Genetic insights support PARP1 as a mediator in the protective association of ATP-citrate lyase inhibitors with melanoma
title_full_unstemmed Genetic insights support PARP1 as a mediator in the protective association of ATP-citrate lyase inhibitors with melanoma
title_short Genetic insights support PARP1 as a mediator in the protective association of ATP-citrate lyase inhibitors with melanoma
title_sort genetic insights support parp1 as a mediator in the protective association of atp citrate lyase inhibitors with melanoma
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07860-z
work_keys_str_mv AT jiawenlu geneticinsightssupportparp1asamediatorintheprotectiveassociationofatpcitratelyaseinhibitorswithmelanoma
AT gloriahoiyeeli geneticinsightssupportparp1asamediatorintheprotectiveassociationofatpcitratelyaseinhibitorswithmelanoma
AT jingyihu geneticinsightssupportparp1asamediatorintheprotectiveassociationofatpcitratelyaseinhibitorswithmelanoma
AT zhenqianwang geneticinsightssupportparp1asamediatorintheprotectiveassociationofatpcitratelyaseinhibitorswithmelanoma