title: Associations between TNF-α -308 A/G and lymphotoxin-α +252 A/G polymorphisms and susceptibility to sarcoidosis: a meta-analysis.
abstract: Several studies have examined the effects of the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) -308 A/G and lymphotoxin-α (LT-α) +252 A/G polymorphisms on susceptibility to sarcoidosis, showing mixed results. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the TNF-α -308 A/G and LT-α +252 A/G polymorphisms confer susceptibility to sarcoidosis. We did a literature search from MEDLINE and EMBASE indices, and conducted a meta-analysis examining the association between TNF-α -308 A/G and LT-α +252 A/G polymorphisms and sarcoidosis. A total of 13 separate comparisons including 1,396 patients with sarcoidosis and 2,344 controls were considered in our meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed a significant association between the TNF-α -308 A allele and sarcoidosis (odds ratio [OR] = 1.480, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.057-2.073, p = 0.002). Stratification by ethnicity indicated an association between the TNF-α -308 A allele polymorphism and sarcoidosis in Europeans (OR = 1.445, 95 % CI = 1.010-2.065, p = 0.044), but not Asians (OR = 4.693, 95 % CI = 0.548-40.29, p = 0.158). The results also showed a significant association between the LT-α +252 G allele and sarcoidosis (OR = 1.266, 95 % CI = 1.048-1.528, p = 0.014). Stratification by ethnicity indicated an association between the LT-α +252 G allele and sarcoidosis in Europeans (OR = 1.307, 95 % CI = 1.045-1.635, p = 0.019), but not in Asians (OR = 1.169, 95 % CI = 0.824-1.660, p = 0.381). Our meta-analysis demonstrates that the TNF-α -308 A/G and LT-α +252 A/G polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to sarcoidosis in an European population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 136-705, Korea.
authors.forename: Gwan Gyu
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jae-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000235:genetics*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; C439524:TNF protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha