TY - JOUR

T1 - High Levels of Complement Activating Enzyme MASP-2 Are Associated With the Risk of Future Incident Venous Thromboembolism

AU - Damoah, Christabel Esi

AU - Snir, Omri

AU - Hindberg, Kristian

AU - Garred, Peter

AU - Ludviksen, Judith K.

AU - Brækkan, Sigrid K.

AU - Morelli, Vânia M.

AU - Mollnes, Tom Eirik

AU - Hansen, John Bjarne

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by a former grant from Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen. The Thrombosis Research Center was supported by an independent grant from Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen (2014–2020).

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Background: Experimental studies have shown that the complement activating enzyme MASP-2 (mannose-binding lectin associated serine protease 2) exhibits a thrombin-like activity and that inhibition of MASP-2 protects against thrombosis. In this study, we investigated whether plasma MASP-2 levels were associated with risk of future venous thromboembolism (VTE) and whether genetic variants linked to MASP-2 levels were associated with VTE risk. Methods: We conducted a population-based nested case-control study involving 410 VTE patients and 842 age- and sex-matched controls derived from the Norwegian Tromsø Study. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of VTE across MASP-2 quartiles. Whole-exome sequencing and protein quantitative trait loci analyses were performed to assess genetic variants associated with MASP-2 levels. A 2-sample Mendelian randomization study, also including data from the INVENT consortium (International Network of Venous Thrombosis), was performed to assess causality. Results: Subjects with plasma MASP-2 in the highest quartile had a 48% higher OR of VTE (OR, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.06-2.06]) and 83% higher OR of deep vein thrombosis (OR, 1.83 [95% CI, 1.23-2.73]) compared with those with MASP-2 levels in the lowest quartile. The protein quantitative trait loci analysis revealed that 3 previously described gene variants, rs12711521 (minor allele frequency, 0.153), rs72550870 (minor allele frequency, 0.045; missense variants in the MASP2 gene), and rs2275527 (minor allele frequency, 0.220; exon variant in the adjacent MTOR gene) explained 39% of the variation of MASP-2 plasma concentration. The OR of VTE per 1 SD increase in genetically predicted MASP-2 was 1.03 ([95% CI, 1.01-1.05] P=0.0011). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that high plasma MASP-2 levels are causally associated with risk of future VTE.

AB - Background: Experimental studies have shown that the complement activating enzyme MASP-2 (mannose-binding lectin associated serine protease 2) exhibits a thrombin-like activity and that inhibition of MASP-2 protects against thrombosis. In this study, we investigated whether plasma MASP-2 levels were associated with risk of future venous thromboembolism (VTE) and whether genetic variants linked to MASP-2 levels were associated with VTE risk. Methods: We conducted a population-based nested case-control study involving 410 VTE patients and 842 age- and sex-matched controls derived from the Norwegian Tromsø Study. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of VTE across MASP-2 quartiles. Whole-exome sequencing and protein quantitative trait loci analyses were performed to assess genetic variants associated with MASP-2 levels. A 2-sample Mendelian randomization study, also including data from the INVENT consortium (International Network of Venous Thrombosis), was performed to assess causality. Results: Subjects with plasma MASP-2 in the highest quartile had a 48% higher OR of VTE (OR, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.06-2.06]) and 83% higher OR of deep vein thrombosis (OR, 1.83 [95% CI, 1.23-2.73]) compared with those with MASP-2 levels in the lowest quartile. The protein quantitative trait loci analysis revealed that 3 previously described gene variants, rs12711521 (minor allele frequency, 0.153), rs72550870 (minor allele frequency, 0.045; missense variants in the MASP2 gene), and rs2275527 (minor allele frequency, 0.220; exon variant in the adjacent MTOR gene) explained 39% of the variation of MASP-2 plasma concentration. The OR of VTE per 1 SD increase in genetically predicted MASP-2 was 1.03 ([95% CI, 1.01-1.05] P=0.0011). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that high plasma MASP-2 levels are causally associated with risk of future VTE.

KW - case-control studies

KW - complement

KW - deep vein thrombosis

KW - humans

KW - mannose-binding lectin

KW - MASP

KW - venous thromboembolism

U2 - 10.1161/ATVBAHA.122.317746

DO - 10.1161/ATVBAHA.122.317746

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35861070

AN - SCOPUS:85136672011

VL - 42

SP - 1186

EP - 1197

JO - Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology

JF - Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology

SN - 1079-5642

IS - 9

ER -