title: A meta-analysis of the association between cytokine gene polymorphisms and systemic sclerosis.
abstract: We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to quantitatively evaluate the association of cytokine gene polymorphisms with systemic sclerosis (SSc) susceptibility. Electronic databases were used to identify published studies before July 2011. In total, 23 case-control studies including 3524 SSc cases and 6086 healthy controls were included in the meta-analysis. We examined the relationship between five gene polymorphisms [cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) -1722T/C, CTLA-4 -318C/T, CTLA-4 +49A/G, angiotensin-converting enzyme I/D, STAT-4 rs7574865] and susceptibility to SSc. The combined odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was calculated to estimate the strength of the association in a fixed or random effect model. Heterogeneity and publication bias were also assessed. We found a significant association between SSc and STAT rs7574865 (TT vs. GG: OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.36-0.54; TT vs. TG + GG: OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.39-0.59; TT + TG vs. GG: OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.66-0.83; T vs. G: OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.66-0.79), but there were no other statistically significant associations with other gene polymorphisms. Our study suggested that SSc is associated with STAT gene rs7574865 polymorphism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wen-jia
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Hai-feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Jin-hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Bing-xiang
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Man-man
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D050797:STAT4 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D050797:STAT4 Transcription Factor; C494090:STAT4 protein, human