Signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 polymorphism and asthma risk: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND

The polymorphism in the signal transducer and activators of transduction 6 (STAT6) gene has been implicated in susceptibility to asthma and aetiology of asthma, but a number of studies have reported inconclusive and ambiguous results of the association between polymorphism in STAT6 gene and asthma risk in different populations. The aim of this study is to further investigate the association between the STAT6 gene polymorphism and asthma susceptibility.

METHODS

Pubmed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) Weipu Database and Wanfang Database were searched to find relevant studies. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of association.

RESULTS

Included in this meta analysis were 14 studies involving 2875 cases and 3227 controls for STAT6 2964G/A polymorphism and six studies involving 1431 cases and 2027 controls for 2892C/T polymorphism. Overall, there was no significant association between 2964G/A polymorphism of STAT6 and asthma susceptibility for GA+AA vs. GG (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.85-1.07, P = 0.39). Except TT vs. CT+CC and TT vs. CC, no significant association was observed between 2892C/T polymorphism and asthma risk under other different contrast models. However, the result was instable.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis suggests that the 2964G/A polymorphism of STAT6 gene is not a risk factor of asthma. For 2892C/T, it contributes to the aetiology of or susceptibility to asthma. More studies are needed to validate this result.