title: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor variants associated with susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Only 10-15% of smokers develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which indicates genetic susceptibility to the disease. Recent studies suggested an association between COPD and polymorphisms in CHRNA coding subunits of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Herein, we performed a meta-analysis to clarify the impact of CHRNA variants on COPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched Web of Knowledge and Medline from 1990 through June 2011 for COPD gene studies reporting variants on CHRNA. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using the major allele or genotype as reference group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among seven reported variants in CHRNA, rs1051730 was finally analyzed with sufficient studies. Totally 3460 COPD and 11437 controls from 7 individual studies were pooled-analyzed. A-allele of rs1051730 was associated with an increased risk of COPD regardless of smoking exposure (pooled OR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.18-1.34, p < 10⁻⁵). At the genotypic level, the ORs gradually increased per A-allele (OR = 1.27 and 1.50 for GA and AA respectively, p < 10⁻⁵). Besides, AA genotype exhibited an association with reduced FEV1% predicted (mean difference 3.51%, 95%CI 0.87-6.16%, p = 0.009) and increased risk of emphysema (OR 1.93, 95%CI 1.29-2.90, p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that rs1051730 in CHRNA is a susceptibility variant for COPD, in terms of both airway obstruction and parenchyma destruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hanssa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Summah
authors.forename: Ying-gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jie-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Qu
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000235:genetics; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000235:genetics*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic