title: Cytokine gene polymorphisms in multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis of 45 studies including 7379 cases and 8131 controls.
abstract: Many environmental and genetic factors have been implicated in the development of multiple sclerosis. However, the aetiology has not been clarified yet. Therefore, using a meta-analytic approach, we tried to probe the potential association between various cytokine gene polymorphisms and the occurrence of multiple sclerosis. A comprehensive literature search yielded 45 eligible studies, which involved 7379 cases and 8131 controls. Totally, the effect of eight polymorphisms, i.e. IL-1A C[-889]T, IL-1B C[-511]T, IL-1B C[3953]T, IL-4 C[33]T, IL-10 C[-819]T, IL-10 G[-1082]A, tumour necrosis factor-a (TNFA) G[-308]A and TNFA G[-238]A, was evaluated in a random-effects meta-analysis. There was no evidence of statistically significant association between the aforementioned polymorphisms and multiple sclerosis. Publication bias and heterogeneity were absent in most analyses. Within its limitations, the current literature-based meta-analysis does not indicate that specific polymorphic variations of genes encoding pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines affect susceptibility to multiple sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Hellenic Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Nikolopoulos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masgala
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsiara
authors.forename: O K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Limitsiou
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Karnaouri
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Dimou
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Bagos
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines