Interleukin-17 A and F gene polymorphisms affect the risk of tuberculosis: An updated meta-analysis

Cytokines are fundamental elements in mediating and stimulating the immune response against tuberculosis (TB). Growing evidence indicated that polymorphisms in the interleukin-17 (IL-17) A and F genes are implicated in TB.

This meta-analysis was aimed to re-evaluate and update the relationship between IL-17A rs2275913 G/A and IL17F rs763780 T/C polymorphisms and TB risk.

Using inclusive searches of the PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Elsevier Science Direct, we identified outcome data from all articles estimating the association between IL-17 A and F polymorphisms and TB risk.

A total of 15 studies comprising 7130 patients and 7540 controls were included. Our pooled analysis demonstrated that the IL-17A rs2275913 G/A SNP was not associated with the risk of TB in overall, or in Asians and Caucasians, but it conferred resistance to TB in Latin Americans using allele (OR=0.53), codominant (OR=0.53 and 0.38), dominant (OR=0.49) and recessive (OR=0.46) inheritance models. For IL-17F rs763780 T/C, the pooled evidence indicated that this variation was a risk factor for TB in allele (C vs T) and dominant (TC+CC vs TT) models in overall (OR of 1.35) and among Asians (OR=1.40), but not in Caucasians.

In summary, our meta-analysis suggested that the IL-17A rs2275913 was a protective factor against TB, but -17F rs763780 T/C was a risk factor for TB.