Genetically influenced tobacco and alcohol use behaviors impact erythroid trait variation

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have associated thousands of loci with quantitative human blood trait variation. Loci and related genes that impact blood trait variation may regulate blood cell-intrinsic biological processes, or alternatively impact blood cell development and function via systemic factors. Clinical observations have linked tobacco or alcohol use with altered blood traits, but these trait relationships have not been systematically explored at the genetic level. Applying a Mendelian randomization (MR) framework to GWAS summary statistics, we explore relationships between smoking and drinking behaviors with 15 quantitative blood traits. We find that the effects of smoking and drinking are confined to red blood cell traits. An instrumental variable (IV) comprised of 113 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with smoking initiation is associated with decreased hemoglobin (HGB: Effect = -0.07 standard deviation units [95% confidence interval = -0.03 to -0.10 SD units], P = 1x10-4), hematocrit (HCT: Effect = -0.06 [-0.03 - -0.09] SD units, P = 4x10-4), and red blood cell count (RBC: Effect = -0.05 [-0.02 - -0.09] SD units, P = 5x10-3) without impacting platelet count (P = 0.9) or white blood cell count (P = 0.6). Similarly, an IV associated with an increased number of alcoholic drinks consumed per week is associated with decreased HGB (Effect = -0.22 [-0.42 - -0.02] SD units, P = 3x10-2) and RBC (Effect = -0.27 [-0.51 - -0.03] SD units, P = 3x10-2). Using multivariable MR and causal mediation analyses, we find that an increased genetic predisposition to smoking initiation is associated with increased alcohol intake, and that alcohol use mediates the genetic effect of smoking initiation on red blood cell traits. These findings demonstrate a novel role for genetically influenced behaviors on human blood traits, revealing opportunities to dissect related pathways and mechanisms that influence hematopoiesis and blood cell biology.