Abstract
BackgroundInterleukin (IL)-18, an important proinflammatory cytokine, plays a potential pathological role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Studies on the relationship of IL-18 gene promoter rs1946518 (−607A/C) polymorphism, rs187238 (−137G/C) polymorphism with RA and SLE are inconclusive. The aim of this study was to get a more precise estimation of the relationship in Asian populations.MethodsMeta-analysis was conducted on the associations between the IL-18 (−607A/C and -137G/C) polymorphisms and RA and SLE, using; (1) allele contrast, (2) dominant, and (3) recessive models. A total of 11 studies were included in this study.ResultsFor the relationship of IL-18 rs1946518 polymorphism with RA (additive model: OR=0.752, 95%CI=0.562-1.006; dominant model: OR=0.730, 95%CI =0.479-1.113; recessive model: OR=0.537, 95%CI=0.271-1.064) and SLE (additive model: OR=0.684, 95%CI=0.455-1.028; dominant model: OR=0.645, 95%CI=0.368-1.130; recessive model: OR=0.672, 95%CI =0.447-1.010), no significant association with RA and SLE risk can be found under all genetic models in Asian populations. However, significant associations were observed in Chinese population for both RA ((OR=0.688, 95%CI =0.532-0.889) and SLE (OR=0.606, 95%CI =0.396-0.930) under additive model. For the relationship between IL-18 rs187238 polymorphism and RA or SLE, there was no significant association detected in all genetic models, even in Chinese population.ConclusionsThis meta-analysis indicates that the IL-18-607A/C polymorphism may confer susceptibility to RA and SLE in Chinese population, but not all Asians.
Highlights
Interleukin (IL)-18, an important proinflammatory cytokine, plays a potential pathological role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Studies included in the meta-analysis A total of 177 articles were identified based on the above searching criteria. 50 duplicate articles were excluded after comparing the title and author name. by reading title and abstracts 99 articles were further excluded (2 were not conducted in humans; 61 were irrelevant to RA or SLE;24 were irrelevant to polymorphism; 12 were review or meta-analysis)
We identified 11 articles with 2805 patients and 2685 controls to evaluate the association of IL-18 rs1946518 and rs187238 polymorphisms with RA and SLE in Asian populations
Summary
Interleukin (IL)-18, an important proinflammatory cytokine, plays a potential pathological role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Studies on the relationship of IL-18 gene promoter rs1946518 (−607A/C) polymorphism, rs187238 (−137G/C) polymorphism with RA and SLE are inconclusive. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are prototypic autoimmune diseases resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. IL-18, formerly called interferon (IFN)-γ-inducing factor, is an important proinflammatory cytokine belong to the IL-1 family that is produced by a wide range of immune cells, such as monocytes, activated macrophages and Kupffer cells [4].The imbalance of Th1/Th2 type cytokines plays important roles in the induction and development of several autoimmune diseases, and IL-18 is an important mediator involved in the pathogenesis of Th1and Th2-mediated diseases including RA and SLE [5,6]. All the current information suggest that IL-18 may have a potential pathological role in autoimmunity, such as RA and SLE
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