title: [A meta-analysis of susceptibility to pneumoconiosis and polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor-α 308 and 238 locus].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between the polymorphism of TNF-α gene 308, 238 locus and the susceptibility to pneumoconiosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen published case-control studies about TNF-α gene 308, 238 locus polymorphism and pneumoconiosis susceptibility were searched out from sino-foreign databases from January 1994 to December 2010. Meta-analysis was applied on the published research to calculate the pooled OR value (95%CI) and stratified analyze the types and species of pneumoconiosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven of the published research articles were selected into the analysis, including 10 research focusing on TNF-α gene 308 locus, with 1408 cases and 1639 controls in total. The meta-analysis showed that comparing with Gln/Gln carriers, Arg/Arg, Arg/Gln, Gln/Arg + Arg/Arg carriers were 1.89-fold (95%CI: 1.10 - 3.24), 1.53-fold (95%CI: 1.25 - 1.87), and 1.56-fold (95%CI: 1.28 - 1.90) more susceptible to pneumoconiosis, respectively. The stratified analysis showed that among coal workers, the TNF-α gene 308 locus Arg/Arg, Arg/Gln, Gln/Arg + Arg/Arg carriers were separately 2.29-fold (95%CI: 1.22 - 4.29), 1.56-fold (95%CI: 1.20 - 2.03), 1.64-fold (95%CI: 1.28 - 2.11) more susceptible to pneumoconiosis than Gln/Gln carriers; and among Asian people, the TNF-α gene 308 locus Gln/Arg, Gln/Arg + Arg/Arg carriers were separately 1.58-fold (95%CI: 1.28 - 1.95) and 1.57-fold (95%CI: 1.28 - 1.94) more susceptible to pneumoconiosis than the Gln/Gln carriers. Four case-control research focus on the study of TNF-α gene 238 locus, including 391 cases and 391 controls in total. The analysis showed that comparing with the non-carriers, TNF-α gene 238 locus Arg/Arg, Arg/Gln, Gln/Arg + Arg/Arg carriers were 6.03-fold (95%CI: 1.35 - 26.97), 1.87-fold (95%CI: 1.07 - 3.30) and 2.36-fold (95%CI: 1.37 - 4.07) more susceptible to pneumoconiosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TNF-α gene 308, 238 locus Arg/Arg, Gln/Arg, Gln/Arg + Arg/Arg carriers are more susceptible to pneumoconiosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
authors.forename: Ju
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chang-fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Wu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Yu-xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yong-xing
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha