A large-scale genetic correlation scan identified the plasma proteins associated with brain function related traits.

AIMS

Insomnia, intelligence and neuroticism are three typical traits and dysfunctions mainly regulated by human brain. Our research aimed to explore the potential genetic relationships between brain function related traits and more than 3000 human plasma proteins.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a large-scale genetic correlation scan of human plasma proteins and three brain function related traits, including insomnia, intelligence and neuroticism. Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) analysis was performed to estimate the genetic correlations between each of the blood proteins and insomnia, intelligence and neuroticism via utilizing the genome-wide association study summary statistics of plasma proteins and those three traits.

RESULTS

LDSC analysis identified 18 specific plasma proteins shown suggestive genetic correlations with insomnia such as Periostin (coefficient=-0.3910, P value = 0.0070). Twenty-one plasma proteins exhibited genetic correlations with intelligence such as Ecto-ADP-ribosyltransferase 3 (coefficient = 0.3066, P value = 0.0013). Six specific plasma proteins shown suggestive genetic correlations with neuroticism, such as CD70 antigen (coefficient = 0.2979, P value = 0.0134). After further comparing the suggestive proteins between insomnia, intelligence and neuroticism, we detected 3 common plasma proteins shared by insomnia and intelligence such as Periostin (coefficient =-0.3910, P value = 0.0070; coefficient =0.2673, P value = 0.0159) and Neurexin-1 (coefficient =-0.2913, P value = 0.0197; coefficient = 0.2399, P value = 0.0035). We also detected 2 common plasma proteins shared by intelligence and neuroticism, including CD70 antigen (coefficient =-0.2092, P value = 0.0337; coefficient = 0.2979, P value = 0.0134).

CONCLUSION

Our results provide novel clues for unveiling the functional relevance of plasma proteins and brain function related traits.