Does PPARγ2 gene Pro12Ala polymorphism affect nonalcoholic fatty liver disease risk? Evidence from a meta-analysis

Genetic factors can substantially contribute to the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A missense Pro12Ala substitution in the PPARγ2 gene (rs1801282) has been studied in relation with NAFLD risk in different ethnic groups, but findings have been inconclusive. The aim of this was to evaluate the association between rs1801282 and NAFLD through meta-analysis of all relevant published evidence. A systematic search to find eligible studies was performed in Medline, HuGE Navigator, and SCOPUS databases. The strength of association was evaluated using odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals obtained from a random effect approach and under additive, dominant, co-dominant, recessive, and allelic contrast models. Seven studies comprising 1474 cases and 2259 controls met the eligibility criteria and included in the meta-analysis. Combined results did not indicate any predisposing or protective effect for rs1801282 under any of the assessed modes of inheritance. The rate of heterogeneity was generally high due to the inter-study variations in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity. Evidence from the current meta-analysis indicated that rs1801282 variants are not associated with NAFLD risk. Future large-scale studies are required to substantiate the present findings.