title: Association between IL-4 polymorphism and acute rejection of solid organ allograft: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cytokines have been implicated in the acute rejection of solid organ transplantation. Many studies have investigated the association between recipient or donor IL-4 polymorphism and acute rejection, with different studies reporting inconclusive results.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched PUBMED and EMBASE until June 2012 to identify eligible studies investigating the association between IL-4 polymorphism with acute rejection after solid organ transplantation. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA10.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 12 studies were included. Pooled ORs suggested 1) no significant association was detected between recipient or donor IL-4 -590C/T polymorphism and acute rejection of solid allograft; 2) no significant association was detected between recipient IL-4 -33C/T polymorphism and acute rejection of solid allograft; 3) when stratified by transplantation type, IL-4 -590C/T polymorphism was associated with acute rejection of liver transplantation (T/T+C/T vs. C/C: OR=0.36, 95%CI=0.14-0.90); 4) significantly decreased risk of acute rejection was detected in recipient IL-4 -590*T-negative/donor T-positive genotype pairs than all other recipient-donor IL-4 -590T/C pairs (OR=0.14, 95%CI=0.03-0.66).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our meta-analysis suggested that recipient IL-4 -590C/T polymorphism was associated with acute rejection of liver transplantation, but nor renal or heart transplantation. It was also suggested that combined recipient IL-4 -590*T-negative/donor T-positive genotype may suffer decreased risk of acute rejection of solid allograft. Further well-designed studies with larger sample size were required to verify our findings, with focus on the association of IL-4 polymorphism with acute rejection in patients with liver transplantation and studies investigating combined recipient-donor genotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Chengdu Army General Hospital, Chengdu 610083, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yinghai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shadan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xiaoqin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Gu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C508598:IL4 protein, human; D015847:Interleukin-4