Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene promoter region alter the risk of psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis: a meta-analysis

Junqing Zhu; Hongda Qu; Xiaoguang Chen; Hao Wang; Juan Li

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0064376

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene promoter region alter the risk of psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis: a meta-analysis

PLoS One. 2013 May 23;8(5):e64376. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064376. Print 2013.

Authors

Junqing Zhu¹, Hongda Qu, Xiaoguang Chen, Hao Wang, Juan Li

Affiliation

¹ Department of Rheumatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. lj40038@126.com

Abstract

Background: It has been confirmed that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), a macrophage-derived pro-inflammatory cytokine, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis (PsV&PsA). In contrast, the reported association of TNFα gene promoter region single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and PsV&PsA has remained controversial. Accordingly, we performed a meta-analysis to provide new evidence that SNPs in the TNFα gene promoter region alter not only the risk of psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) but also of PsV&PsA.

Methods: Interrelated literature dated to October 2012 was acquired from the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink databases. The number of the genotypes and/or alleles for the TNFα promoter in the PsV and PsA and control subjects was obtained. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to calculate the risk of PsV and/or PsA with TNFα promoter SNPs.

Results: A total of 26 papers of 2159 for PsV (2129 normal controls) and 2360 for PsA (2997 normal controls) were included in our meta-analysis. The results showed that the variant genotype and allele of TNFα -308A/G was protective in pooled groups of patients with PsV&PsA (OR = 0.682, 0.750; 95% CI, 0.596-0.779, 0.653-0.861). However, the variant genotypes and alleles of TNFα -238A/G and -857T/C had an increased risk of PsV&PsA (OR = 2.493, 2.228, 1.536, 1.486, 95% CI, 1.777-3.498, 1.628-3.049, 1.336-1.767, 1.309-1.685). Moreover, the meta-analysis revealed a significant association between TNFα -238A/G and -857T/C polymorphism and PsA susceptibility (OR = 2.242, 2.052, 1.419, 1.465; 95% CI, 1.710-2.941, 1.614-2.610, 1.214-1.658, 1.277-1.681). In contrast, the variant genotypes and alleles of TNFα -308A/G proved to be protective against PsV (OR = 0.574, 0.650, 95% CI, 0.478-0.690, 0.556-0.759), whereas TNFα -238A/G was found to have a risk association (OR = 2.636, 2.223, 95% CI, 1.523-4.561, 1.317-3.751).

Conclusions: SNPs in the TNFα gene promoter region alter the risk of PsV and/or PsA.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Arthritis, Psoriatic / genetics*
Gene Frequency
Genetic Association Studies
Genetic Predisposition to Disease
Humans
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
Promoter Regions, Genetic*
Psoriasis / genetics
Risk
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics*

Substances

TNF protein, human
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. 81173456) and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (NO. S2012010009164). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.