RANTES gene G-403A polymorphism and coronary artery disease: a meta analysis of observational studies.
OBJECTIVE
The G-403A polymorphism in RANTES gene may be involved in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) through increasing RANTES-mediated leukocyte trafficking and activation. However, studies investigating the relationship between G-403A polymorphism and CAD yielded contradictory and inconclusive results. In order to shed some light on these inconsistent findings, a meta analysis was performed to clarify the role of G-403A polymorphism of RANTES gene in the susceptibility of CAD.


METHODS
A systemic literature search of PubMed and EMBASE was conducted from their inception to March 23, 2012, to retrieve related studies. In addition, Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science was searched, authors of relevant studies were contacted, and reference lists of the included studies and their related citations in PubMed were reviewed for additional pertinent studies.


RESULTS
A total of 8 eligible studies were identified, with a total of 4252 CAD cases and 2150 controls. There was no evidence of significant association between G-403A polymorphism and CAD risk in any genetic model or pairwise comparisons (additive model: OR = 1.046, 95% CI = 0.883-1.239, I(2) = 65.9%; recessive model: OR = 1.140, 95% CI = 0.774-1.678, I(2) = 53.1%; dominant model: OR = 1.000, 95% CI = 0.820-1.21), I(2) = 62.6%; AA vs GG: OR = 1.141, 95% CI = 0.734-1.773, I(2) = 61.2%; GA vs GG: OR = 0.993, 95% CI = 0.800-1.232, I(2) = 64.6%). Subgroup analysis and meta regression indicated that ethnicity and genotyping method accounted for the significant heterogeneity among studies. In the stratified analysis by ethnic group, G-403A polymorphism was found to be associated with increased CAD risk in Caucasian population whereas its protective role was observed in Asian population in some but not all comparisons.


CONCLUSIONS
Data from the current meta-analysis do not support the existence of a relationship between G-403A polymorphism and the development of CAD, and large sample size study employing unified genotyping method is needed to further evaluate the influence of G-403A polymorphism on susceptibility of CAD.
Division of Dyslipidemia, State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Jun
J
Liu
Yan-Jun
YJ
Jia
Xiao-Lin
XL
Li
Rui-Xa
RX
Xu
Cheng-Gang
CG
Zhu
Yuan-Lin
YL
Guo
Na-Qiong
NQ
Wu
Jian-Jun
JJ
Li
D000328:Adult; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000235:genetics*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
C483024:CCL5 protein, human; D018946:Chemokine CCL5