Genetic mechanisms of 184 neuro-related proteins in human plasma

Abstract

Understanding the genetic basis of neuro-related proteins is essential for dissecting the disease etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders and other complex traits and diseases. Here, the SCALLOP Consortium conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of over 12,500 individuals for 184 neuro-related proteins in human plasma. The analysis identified 117 cis-regulatory protein quantitative trait loci (cis-pQTL) and 166 trans-pQTL. The mapped pQTL capture on average 50% of each protein’s heritability. Mendelian randomization analyses revealed multiple proteins showing potential causal effects on neuro-related traits as well as complex diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol, immune-related disorders, and psychiatric disorders. Integrating with established drug information, we validated 13 combinations of protein targets and diseases or side effects with available drugs, while suggesting hundreds of re-purposing and new therapeutic targets for diseases and comorbidities. This consortium effort provides a large-scale proteogenomic resource for biomedical research.