Lack of association between interferon gamma +874 T/A polymorphism and cancer risk: an updated meta-analysis

• Published in: Tumor biology Vol. 35; no. 7; pp. 6405 - 6414
• Main Authors: Ge, Yu-Zheng, Wang, Yi-Dan, Xu, Zheng, Xu, Lu-Wei, Wang, Ya-Ping, Gu, Mao-Hong, Ding, Ai-Xing, Zhu, Xian-Bo, Wu, Ran, Li, Wen-Cheng, Xu, You-Di, Jia, Rui-Peng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.07.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alleles; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cancer; Cancer Research; Genetic Association Studies; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype & phenotype; Humans; Interferon; Interferon-gamma - genetics; Meta-analysis; Neoplasms - genetics; Polymorphism; Research Article; Risk Factors; Interferon gamma; Polymorphism; Cancer; Meta-analysis
• ISSN: 1010-4283; 1423-0380
• DOI: 10.1007/s13277-014-1861-9

Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) is a potent proinflammatory cytokine which plays a pivotal role in the antiviral, antiproliferative, and antitumor activities. A T-to-A transition at the position +874 of human IFN-γ gene ( IFNG ) has been reported to influence the secretion of IFN-γ and affect cancer susceptibility. However, results from published studies on the association between IFNG +874 T/A polymorphism and cancer risk are inconclusive or even controversial. In order to derive a more precise estimation of the association, a meta-analysis of 38 eligible studies including 5,630 cases and 6,096 controls was conducted with odds ratio (OR) and its corresponding 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI). Overall, no significant association was detected in allelic model (A allele vs. T allele—OR = 0.96, 95 % CI, 0.86–1.08), homozygote comparison (AA vs. TT—OR = 0.97, 95 % CI, 0.79–1.21), heterozygote comparison (AT vs. TT—OR = 1.03, 95 % CI, 0.87–1.23), dominant model (AA + AT vs. TT—OR = 1.00, 95 % CI, 0.87–1.15), nor recessive model (AA vs. AT + TT—OR = 0.93, 95 % CI, 0.78–1.12). Further subgroup analyses based on ethnicity, cancer types, and Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium status failed to demonstrate any significant relationship except in African population under recessive model (AA vs. AT + TT—OR = 0.68, 95 % CI, 0.47–0.97). In conclusion, the current meta-analysis suggested that IFNG +874 T/A polymorphism may not contribute to cancer susceptibility, and further well-designed studies with large sample size are warranted to validate our conclusion.