Fetuin-A and its genetic association with cardiometabolic disease

Fetuin-A acts as both an inhibitor of calcification and insulin signaling. Previous studies reported conflicting results on the association between fetuin-A and cardiometabolic diseases. We aim to provide further insights into the association between genetically predicted levels of fetuin-A and cardiometabolic diseases using a Mendelian randomization strategy. Genetic variants associated with fetuin-A and their effect sizes were obtained from previous genetic studies. A series of two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses in 412,444 unrelated individuals from the UK Biobank did not show evidence for an association of genetically predicted fetuin-A with any stroke, ischemic stroke, or myocardial infarction. We do find that increased levels of genetically predicted fetuin-A are associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes (OR = 1.21, 95%CI 1.13–1.30, P = < 0.01). Furthermore, genetically predicted fetuin-A increases the risk of coronary artery disease in individuals with type 2 diabetes, but we did not find evidence for an association between genetically predicted fetuin-A and coronary artery disease in those without type 2 diabetes (P for interaction = 0.03). One SD increase in genetically predicted fetuin-A decreases risk of myocardial infarction in women, but we do not find evidence for an association between genetically predicted fetuin-A and myocardial infarction in men (P for interaction = < 0.01). Genetically predicted fetuin-A is associated with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, type 2 diabetes status modifies the association of genetically predicted fetuin-A with coronary artery disease, indicating that fetuin-A increases risk in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Finally, higher genetically predicted fetuin-A reduces the risk of myocardial infarction in women, but we do not find evidence for an association between genetically predicted fetuin-A and myocardial infarction in men.