Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39283655›Full record

ArticleDiabetes2024

Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Highlights Causal Relationships Between Circulating INHBC and Multiple Cardiometabolic Diseases and Traits.

Nellie Y Loh, Daniel B Rosoff, Rebecca Richmond, Raymond Noordam, George Davey Smith, David Ray, Fredrik Karpe, Falk W Lohoff, Constantinos Christodoulides

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Diabetes, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Proteogenomic Analysis of Coronary Artery Calcification in Human Populations.Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Activin Actions in Adipocytes.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Nellie Y LohOxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K.
Daniel B RosoffOxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K.
Rebecca RichmondOxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K.ORCID 0000-0003-0574-5071
Raymond NoordamDepartment of Internal Medicine, Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-7801-809X
George Davey SmithMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, U.K.
David RayOxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K.
Fredrik KarpeOxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K.ORCID 0000-0002-2751-1770
Falk W LohoffNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
Constantinos ChristodoulidesOxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K.ORCID 0000-0001-5154-0785

Funding

British Heart Foundation FS/16/45/32359
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Human genetic and transgenic mouse studies have highlighted a potential liver-adipose tissue endocrine axis, involving activin C (Act-C) and/or Act-E and ALK7, influencing fat distribution and systemic metabolism. We investigated the bidirectional effects between circulating INHBC, which homodimerizes into Act-C, and adiposity traits, insulin resistance, inflammation, and cardiometabolic disease risk. Additionally, we examined whether Act-C is an ALK7 ligand in human adipocytes. We used Mendelian randomization and in vitro studies in immortalized human abdominal and gluteal adipocytes. Circulating INHBC was causally linked to reduced lower-body fat, dyslipidemia, and increased risks of coronary artery disease (CAD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Conversely, upper-body fat distribution, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, subclinical inflammation, and type 2 diabetes positively impacted plasma INHBC levels. Mechanistically, an atherogenic lipid profile may partly explain the INHBC-CAD link, while inflammation and hypertriglyceridemia may partly explain how adiposity traits affect circulating INHBC. Phenome-wide Mendelian randomization showed weak causal relationships between higher plasma INHBC and impaired kidney function and higher gout risk. In human adipocytes, recombinant Act-C activated SMAD2/3 signaling via ALK7 and suppressed lipolysis. In summary, INHBC influences systemic metabolism by activating ALK7 in adipose tissue and may serve as a drug target for atherogenic dyslipidemia, CAD, and NAFLD. ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS:

Indexed as

Mendelian Randomization AnalysisActivin Receptors, Type IAdipocytesAdipose TissueAdiposityCardiovascular DiseasesCoronary Artery DiseaseHumansInsulin ResistanceMaleMetabolic DiseasesNon-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseObesityActivin Receptors, Type I

Identifiers

PMID39283655
PMCPMC11579406

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.