Dissecting the genetic association of C-reactive protein with PTSD, traumatic events, and social support

• Published in: Neuropsychopharmacology (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2021-05, Vol.46 (6), p.1071-1077
• Main Authors: Muniz Carvalho, Carolina, Wendt, Frank R, Maihofer, Adam X, Stein, Dan J, Stein, Murray B, Sumner, Jennifer A, Hemmings, Sian M J, Nievergelt, Caroline M, Koenen, Karestan C, Gelernter, Joel, Belangero, Sintia I, Polimanti, Renato
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; C-reactive protein; C-Reactive Protein - genetics; Child; Children; Epidemiology; Genetic analysis; Genome-Wide Association Study; Genomics; Humans; Inflammation; Linkage disequilibrium; Polygenic inheritance; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide - genetics; Post traumatic stress disorder; Social interactions; Social Support; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - genetics
• ISSN: 0893-133X; 1740-634X
• DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0655-6

Inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) have been associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic experiences, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We investigated the relationship among serum CRP, PTSD, and traits related to traumatic events and social support using genetic association data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (23,185 PTSD cases and 151,309 controls), the UK Biobank (UKB; up to 117,900 individuals), and the CHARGE study (Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology, 148,164 individual). Linkage disequilibrium score regression, polygenic risk scoring, and two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were used to investigate genetic overlap and causal relationships. Genetic correlations of CRP were observed with PTSD (rg = 0.16, p = 0.026) and traits related to traumatic events, and the presence of social support (-0.28