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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Microbial Immunology
Volume 15 - 2024 |
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1278327
This article is part of the Research Topic Mendelian Randomization: the Study of Causal Relationships between Tumors and Underlying Pathogenic Factors View all 14 articles
The role of herpes simplex virus infection in the etiology of head and neck cancer--a Mendelian randomization study
Provisionally accepted- 1 University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- 2 Guiyang Hospital of Stomatology, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China
Introduction: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a complex disease, and multiple risk factors can lead to its progression. Observational studies indicated that herpes simplex virus (HSV) may be correlated with the risk of HNC. However, the causal effects and direction between them were still unclear.Methods: This study utilized a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach for causality assessment between HSV infection and Head and neck cancer based on the latest public health data and Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) data. The causal effects were estimated using IVW, weighted median, and MR-Egger. A reverse MR analysis was subsequently performed. Cochrans Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, leave one out analysis, and the funnel plot were all used in sensitivity analyses.Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a complex disease, and multiple risk factors can lead to its progression.Recent studies have shown a potential correlation between herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection and the risk of HNC.Herein, we probed into the causal relation between HSV infection and HNC using Mendelian randomization analysis.With genetic variants as instrumental variables, we performed a comprehensive analysis to evaluate the impact of HSV on the development of HNC. Collectively, a significant association was noted between HSV infection and increased risk of HNC, providing valuable insights into the etiology of this malignancy. Further in-depth study is needed to validate these findings and elucidate the underpinning mechanisms.Yan]: Results: Genetically predicted higher level of HSV-1 IgG was causally related to HNC (OR=1.0019, 95%CI=1.0003-1.0036, p=0.0186, IVW) and oral and oropharyngeal cancer (OR=1.0018, 95%CI=1.0004-1.0033, p=0.0105, IVW). The reverse MR analysis did not demonstrate a reverse causal relationship between HSV and HNC. However, HSV-2 infection was not causally related to HNC data and oropharyngeal cancer data. Sensitivity analysis was performed and revealed no heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy.Conclusions: Collectively, a significant association was noted between HSV infection and increased risk of HNC, providing valuable insights into the etiology of this malignancy. Further in-depth study is needed to validate these findings and elucidate the underpinning mechanisms.
Keywords: head and neck cancer, Herpes Simplex Virus, Mendelian randomization, Causal effect, hsv, Oral and oropharyngeal cancer
Received: 16 Aug 2023; Accepted: 29 Apr 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 Yan, Xiao, Gosau, friedrich, smeets, Fu, Feng and Burg. 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:
Ling- Ling Fu, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
Hongchao Feng, Guiyang Hospital of Stomatology, Guiyang, 550000, Guizhou Province, China
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Li-yuan Xiao
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