Association between interleukin-18 polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus: a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Immunology
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with a significant genetic component.
• Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine implicated in autoimmune pathogenesis.
• Genetic variations in the IL-18 promoter region may influence disease susceptibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between three functional IL-18 promoter polymorphisms (-607 C/A, -137 G/C, -1297 C/T) and SLE risk.
• To analyze these associations across different ethnic populations.
• To perform a meta-analysis to consolidate evidence from multiple studies.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analysis was conducted on published studies examining IL-18 promoter polymorphisms and SLE.
• Data were analyzed using allele contrast, recessive, dominant, and additive models.
• A total of nine studies involving 8,453 participants (2,928 SLE patients, 5,525 controls) were included.

Main Results:

• No overall association was found between the IL-18 -607 C/A polymorphism and SLE.
• However, the -607 C allele was significantly associated with increased SLE risk in Europeans.
• The IL-18 -137 G/C polymorphism showed a significant association with SLE in Asians, but not in Europeans.
• The IL-18 -1297 C allele was significantly associated with SLE in both the overall population and in Europeans.

Conclusions:

• The IL-18 -607 C/A and -1297 C/T polymorphisms are associated with SLE susceptibility in European populations.
• The IL-18 -137 G/C polymorphism is associated with SLE risk in Asian populations.
• These findings suggest ethnic-specific genetic contributions of IL-18 promoter polymorphisms to SLE development.