Estimating the effect size of a hidden causal factor between SNPs and a continuous trait: a mediation model approach.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Observational studies and Mendelian randomization experiments have been used to identify many causal factors for complex traits in humans. Given a set of causal factors, it is important to understand the extent to which these causal factors explain some, all, or none of the genetic heritability, as measured by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with the trait. Using the mediation model framework with SNPs as the exposure, a trait of interest as the outcome, and the known causal factors as the mediators, we hypothesize that any unexplained association between the SNPs and the outcome trait is mediated by an additional unobserved, hidden causal factor.

Results

We propose a method to infer the effect size of this hidden mediating causal factor

SUBMITTER: Ding Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9559019 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature