Association of ITGAM polymorphism with systemic lupus erythematosus: a meta-analysis

ITGAM is one of the major non-human leucocyte antigen that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The association of ITGAM polymorphism with SLE has been reported in several studies, but with inconclusive results.

The aim of this study was to assess whether combined evidence shows the association between ITGAM polymorphism and SLE.

A meta-analysis was performed to survey studies on the ITGAM polymorphism and SLE using comprehensive Medline search and review of the references. A total of five published studies including 12,123 patients with SLE and 17,016 controls were involved. Meta-odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on fixed effects models or random effects models were depended on Cochran's Q-statistic and I(2) values.

The overall ORs for the minor A-allele (OR 1.795; 95%CI 1.676-1.921), AA vs. GG (OR 3.540; 95%CI 2.771-4.522), AG vs. GG (OR 1.750; 95%CI 1.617-1.895), dominant model (OR 1.857;95%CI 1.719-2.005), recessive model (OR 3.041; 95%CI 2.384-3.878) of ITGAM rs1143679 were significantly increased in SLE and fixed effects models were conducted. All controls were in Hardy-Weinberg (HW) proportion. Although this meta-analysis showed significant association of rs1143683 (A vs. G, OR 1.534;95%CI 1.312-1.792), rs9888739 (T vs. C,OR 1.627;95%CI 1.380-1.918), rs1143678 (T vs. C, OR 1.543; 95%CI 1.330-1.790), rs9937837 (A vs. G, OR 0.466; 95%CI 0.227-0.957) with SLE; all of these were conducted in random effects model as heterogeneity was detected. No significant association was detected in the analysis between rs11574637 and SLE. No publication bias was presented.

This meta-analysis demonstrates a significant association between ITGAM gene polymorphism and SLE in multiple ethnic populations.