Abstract
Background
Epilepsy, a persistent neurological disorder, involves complex pathogenic processes where immunological factors may contribute. The role of CD27 ligand in epilepsy remains unknown. This investigation assesses whether CD27 ligand causally influence generalized and focal epilepsy using Mendelian randomization (MR).
Methods
We utilized GWAS summary data for CD27 ligand and for both types of epilepsy. Instrumental variables (IVs) were identified following the standard criteria of MR. The primary MR approach employed was the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, complemented by four additional MR techniques to ensure comprehensive analysis. Extensive sensitivity testing was undertaken to ensure the robustness of the results.
Results
Findings from the IVW method indicate that an increase by one standard deviation in the level of CD27 ligand elevates the risk of focal epilepsy by 16.6% (OR = 1.166, 95% CI: 1.004–1.354, P = 0.045) and generalized epilepsy by 18.6% (OR = 1.186, 95% CI: 1.063–1.323, P = 0.0023). Parallel results were observed with the four supplementary MR methods. Sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings to be consistent and not influenced by pleiotropy or other biases.
Conclusion
This MR analysis reveals a causal link between elevated levels of CD27 ligand and an increased risk of epilepsy, highlighting potential therapeutic targets for intervention. Further research is necessary to confirm these findings and to explore the underlying biological mechanisms.