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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Disorders : Autoimmune Disorders
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1379480

Deciphering the mediating role of CXCL10 in hypothyroidism-induced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in European ancestry: a Mendelian Randomization study

Provisionally accepted
Xiaoming Xing Xiaoming Xing 1*Cong Zhao Cong Zhao 1Song Cai Song Cai 1*Jing Wang Jing Wang 1*Jing Zhang Jing Zhang 1*Fang Sun Fang Sun 2*Mao Huang Mao Huang 1*LiShan Zhang LiShan Zhang 1*
  • 1 Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
  • 2 Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, Beijing Municipality, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a lethal lung disease characterized by progressive fibrosis, leading to impaired gas exchange and high mortality. The etiology of IPF is complex, with potential links to autoimmune disorders such as hypothyroidism. This study explores the relationship between hypothyroidism and IPF, focusing on the mediating role of plasma proteins.Methods: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach was employed to determine the impact of hypothyroidism on IPF and the mediating role of 4,907 plasma proteins, all in individuals of European ancestry. Sensitivity analyses, external validation, and reverse causality tests were conducted to ensure the robustness of the findings. Additionally, the function of causal SNPs was evaluated through gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses.The findings suggest that hypothyroidism, through altered plasma protein expression, particularly CXCL10, may contribute to the pathogenesis of IPF. This novel insight highlights the potential of CXCL10 as a therapeutic target in IPF, especially in patients with hypothyroidism. The study emphasizes the need for further research into the complex interplay between autoimmune disorders and IPF, with a view towards developing targeted interventions for IPF management.

    Keywords: Hypothyroidism, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Mendelian randomization, CXCL10, immunology

    Received: 31 Jan 2024; Accepted: 29 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Xing, Zhao, Cai, Wang, Zhang, Sun, Huang and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Xiaoming Xing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
    Song Cai, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
    Jing Wang, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
    Jing Zhang, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
    Fang Sun, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, Beijing Municipality, China
    Mao Huang, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
    LiShan Zhang, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.