title: Association of IL-21 polymorphisms (rs907715, rs2221903) with susceptibility to multiple autoimmune diseases: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous published data indicated that interleukin-21 (IL-21) gene polymorphisms were shown to associate with multiple autoimmune diseases (ADs), but the results remain inconclusive. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis to assess the overall association between IL-21 gene polymorphisms (rs907715, rs2221903) and multiple ADs.
  
  
  METHODS
  All eligible case-control studies were searched in the PubMed and Embase database. A meta-analysis was conducted on the association between the IL-21 gene variants and ADs using: (1) allelic contrast, (2) homozygote contrast, (3) the recessive model, and (4) the dominant model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 12 relevant studies including 10,535 cases and 19,356 controls were enrolled in this meta-analysis. A significant association between IL-21 rs907715 gene polymorphism and AD was found under the allelic (OR: 1.102, 95% CI: 1.057-1.149, p = 0.000), homozygous (OR: 1.220, 95% CI: 1.089-1.368, p = 0.001), dominant (OR: 1.160, 95% CI: 1.027-1.309, p = 0.017), and recessive genetic model (OR: 1.119, 95% CI: 1.055-1.187, p = 0.000) among Caucasian populations. However, there was no significant association between IL-21 rs2221903 polymorphism and AD in different genetic models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data from the present study suggest that the IL-21 rs907715 polymorphism might be associated with multiple ADs susceptibility in Caucasians. Especially, the allele G of intronic rs907715 in IL-21 confers increased risk of ADs.
authors: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University , Hefei, Anhui Province , China .
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Han
authors: H
authors: Cen
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Ni
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Zhang
authors: Peng
authors: P
authors: Li
authors: Xiao-Ke
authors: XK
authors: Yang
authors: Rui-Xue
authors: RX
authors: Leng
authors: Hai-Feng
authors: HF
authors: Pan
authors: Dong-Qing
authors: DQ
authors: Ye
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D044383:Black People; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015870:Gene Expression; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008957:Models, Genetic; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012306:Risk; D044465:White People; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; D000098546:Interleukin-21
keywords: Autoimmune diseases; IL-21; polymorphisms; susceptibility