CLSA research identifies metabolites that influence common age-related diseases
Impact Story of the Year (2023)

Through a series of genome-wide association studies and Mendelian randomization analyses of data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a team of researchers at McGill University identified dozens of blood metabolites that influence common diseases and traits linked to aging, inflammation, and metabolism.

  • The research was published in January 2023 in Nature Genetics.
  • Metabolites are small molecules in the blood that are the intermediate or end products of metabolic reactions. Examples of metabolites include lipids, amino acids, and vitamins.
  • The research team had two aims:
    1. identify the genetic determinants of circulating metabolites; and,
    2. determine if metabolite levels and ratios influence a dozen common diseases linked to aging, metabolism, and immune response.
  • The researchers identified 22 metabolites and 20 metabolite ratios as having estimated causal effect on the 12 traits and diseases. They found increased levels of one metabolite – orotate – was linked to lower bone-mineral density and a higher risk of hip fractures. Another metabolite, alpha-hydroxyisovalerate, was associated with lower body mass index and ergothioneine with inflammatory bowel disease and asthma.

The results from this study provide a valuable resource describing the genetic architecture of metabolites and delivers insights into their roles in common diseases, thereby offering opportunities for therapeutic targets.

About the Team

First author: Yiheng Chen, PhD Student in Human Genetics, McGill University

Senior author: Dr. Brent Richards, Departments of Medicine (Endocrinology), Human Genetics, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University

Links to key/related outputs, including academic and non-academic, and further reading:

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