title: Meta-analysis: the relationship between TNF-alpha polymorphisms and susceptibility to primary biliary cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the possible influence of TNF-α gene promoter polymorphisms in conferring a predisposition to PBC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a meta-analysis of nine articles searched from PubMed up to July 2010 that investigated the association between two TNF-α polymorphisms (-308 and -238) and PBC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data showed no significant association between TNF-α-308, -238 gene polymorphisms and the susceptibility to PBC in the global group (OR=0.95, 95%CI=0.80-1.13, p=0.55; OR=1.00, 95%CI=0.65-1.55, p=0.99, respectively). Stratified by sub-groups (European, American, Asian), TNF -308 minor allele, but not -238, was found to be a protective factor in the European population (OR= 0.81, 95%CI=0.67-0.99, p=0.04; OR=0.99, 95%CI=0.55-1.77, p=0.97, respectively). Moreover, no significant difference was observed between TNF-α-308 alleles and PBC when stratified by histological stages (stages I-II, OR=0.68, 95%CI=0.32-1.48, p=0.33; stages III-IV, OR=0.69, 95%CI=0.41-1.15, p=0.15).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TNF-α promoter polymorphisms might not be associated with PBC risk. However, studies with larger population of varying ethnicity and stratified by clinical and laboratory characteristics are needed to validate our findings.
authors.affiliation: Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Ruirui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Zheyi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yongquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xinmin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Daiming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha