Associations between TNFAIP3 gene polymorphisms and rheumatoid arthritis: A meta-analysis

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether tumor necrosis factor alpha inducible protein 3 (TNFAIP3) polymorphisms confer susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in ethnically different populations. Methods: The authors conducted meta-analyses on associations between the TNFAIP3 polymorphisms and RA susceptibility. Result: A total of ten comparative studies were included in this meta-analysis, which showed an association between the two allele of rs6920220 and RA in all study subjects [odds ratio (OR) 1.216, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.166-1.269, p<1.0 × 10 ^-9]. The two allele of rs6920220 was also significantly associated with RA in Europeans only (OR 1.227, 95% CI 1.175-1.282, p<1.0 × 10 ^-9). Meta-analysis revealed no association between the two allele of the rs10499194 polymorphism and RA in Europeans, but a significant association was found in Asians (OR 1.254, 95% CI 1.101-1.429, p = 6.7 × 10 ^-4). Furthermore, an association was found between the two allele of rs2230926 and RA in all study subjects (OR 1.390, 95% CI 1.214-2.331, p = 1.9 × 10 ^-6). Conclusions: Thismeta-analysis confirms that the TNFAIP3 polymorphisms are associated with RA susceptibility in different ethnic groups, namely, in Europeans for rs6920220 and in Asians for rs10499194.