Causal association between immune cells and esophageal cancer: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Causal association between immune cells and esophageal cancer: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Causal association between immune cells and esophageal cancer: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study shutong Shi, Dayong Gu, Daguang Wu, Haifeng Shi, Qiang Wang, Xuefeng Zhou, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4367360/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Tumor development is significantly regulated by immune cells. Esophageal cancer is a tumor with a high mortality rate and a poor prognosis. Clinical research has demonstrated a connection between esophageal cancer and immune cells, and immunotherapy has gradually improved the survival of esophageal cancer patients. Nevertheless, a conclusive association between immune cells and esophageal cancer has not to be demonstrated. Methods We initially screened immune cells as potential factors influencing the development of esophageal cancer using a GWAS. A Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was done to establish a causal connection between immune cells and esophageal cancer. In addition, We conducted a bidirectional MR analysis to investigate the causal connections. Results We discovered 20 significant correlations between immune cells and esophageal cancer. In addition, by bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis, we determined the impact of esophageal cancer on immune cells. The reliability of the findings was verified using assessments of heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Conclusions Our Mendelian randomization analysis suggested that immune cells were associated with esophageal cancer and may be beneficial for presenting basic evidence for mechanistic and clinical research on immunotherapy. Immune cells Esophageal cancer Mendelian randomization Genetics Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Additionalfle4.zip Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4367360","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":300804802,"identity":"4502dd5c-2b45-493b-836d-419bae9e7e0d","order_by":0,"name":"shutong Shi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"shutong","middleName":"","lastName":"Shi","suffix":""},{"id":300804803,"identity":"19d3cbc0-9ef1-47a0-b811-cff2fb5ea846","order_by":1,"name":"Dayong 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Genetics","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4367360/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4367360/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTumor development is significantly regulated by immune cells. Esophageal cancer is a tumor with a high mortality rate and a poor prognosis. Clinical research has demonstrated a connection between esophageal cancer and immune cells, and immunotherapy has gradually improved the survival of esophageal cancer patients. Nevertheless, a conclusive association between immune cells and esophageal cancer has not to be demonstrated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe initially screened immune cells as potential factors influencing the development of esophageal cancer using a GWAS. A Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was done to establish a causal connection between immune cells and esophageal cancer. In addition, We conducted a bidirectional MR analysis to investigate the causal connections.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe discovered 20 significant correlations between immune cells and esophageal cancer. 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