Hidden features within the spleen detected on abdominal imaging scans can signal a person’s risk of developing coronary artery disease, according to a new study published in Science Translational Medicine. Led by investigators from Mass General Brigham, the research leverages artificial intelligence and genomic analyses to uncover how blood-forming and immune functions in the spleen connect to cardiovascular health, potentially opening new doors for early prevention and targeted treatments outside of traditional cholesterol management.
AI and Abdominal Imaging Reveal Spleen Features Linked to Coronary Artery Disease
According to Mass General Brigham investigators, researchers analyzed information from 42,059 participants in the UK Biobank by combining artificial intelligence tools, abdominal imaging scans, and clinical outcomes data. Out of 107 distinct splenic features observed on the scans, exactly 10 showed a clear association with coronary artery disease (CAD). Co-senior author Zhi Yu noted that while modern medicine has made great strides in lowering classical risk factors like LDL cholesterol, substantial residual risk remains, and CAD stays the world’s leading death cause. Yu is an investigator in the Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit and Center for Genomic Medicine at Mass General Brigham, as well as an associate member at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.
Genomic Links Between Splenic Texture and Heart Disease Risk
Genome-wide association analyses conducted by the research team identified specific genes tied to both splenic imaging features and CAD. According to the study findings, these shared genes typically regulate processes such as inflammation, smooth muscle cell function, hypertension, and fat cell formation. Many genetic variants appeared in non-coding, regulatory regions of the genome. Specifically, two variants located at the genetic locus 9p21 on chromosome 9 correlated with a nonuniform, irregular texture in the spleen alongside increased odds of CAD. Lead author Meghana Kamineni, an internal medicine resident at Mass General Brigham, stated that these findings shed light on novel mechanisms linking the organ to CAD and provide potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
Did you know? The spleen acts as a central hub of the blood-forming system, where it stores and filters blood while producing immune and inflammatory cells. Because routine tests struggle to assess the organ, advanced imaging offers a powerful way to evaluate nuanced changes.
Research Cohorts Versus Clinical Patient Populations
To test whether general-population discoveries hold up in everyday healthcare settings, the team evaluated patients imaged during routine clinical care. Among 2,745 patients from the Mass General Brigham Biobank, most associations identified in the UK Biobank did not carry over. Researchers attribute this discrepancy to differences in population health and imaging protocols. Research cohorts tend to be healthier and undergo scans under uniform protocols, whereas clinical patients typically present with complex medical histories and wide imaging variations, capturing genuinely different biological states.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is coronary artery disease?
Coronary artery disease is a leading global cause of death and morbidity characterized by plaque buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
How does the spleen relate to heart disease?
Evidence increasingly ties the blood-forming and immune systems to cardiovascular health. According to Mass General Brigham researchers, specific textural features in the spleen visible on imaging scans associate with an individual’s susceptibility to CAD.
What did the genetic analysis reveal?
Genome-wide association analyses found genes linked to both splenic features and CAD that regulate inflammation, smooth muscle function, blood pressure, and fat cell formation, including variants at the 9p21 locus.
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