Genetic association study of P2x7 A1513C (rs 3751143) polymorphism and susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis: A meta-analysis based on the findings of 11 case-control studies

Objective: To summarize the precise association between pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and P2x7 A1513C gene polymorphism. Methods: PubMed and Google Scholar web-databases were searched for the studies reporting the association of P2x7 A1513C polymorphism and FIB risk. A meta-analysis was performed for the selected case-control studies and pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated for all the genetic models. Results: Eleven studies comprising 2 678 controls and 2 113 PTB cases were included in this meta-analysis. We observed overall no significant risk in all the five genetic models. When stratified population by the ethnicity, Caucasian population failed to show any risk of FIB in all the genetics models. In Asian ethnicity, variant allele (C vs. A: P=0.001; OR=1.375, 95% CI=1.159-1.632) and heterozygous genotype (AC vs. AA: P=0.001; OR=1.570, 95% CI=1.269-1.944) demonstrated significant increased risk of PTB. Likewise, recessive genetic model (CC+AC vs. AA: P=0.001; OR=1.540, 95% CI=1.255-1.890) also demonstrated increased risk of PTB in Asians. Conclusions: Our meta-analysis did not suggest the association of P2x7 A1513C polymorphism with FIB risk in overall or separately in Caucasian population. However, it plays a significant risk factor for predisposing PTB in Asians. Future larger sample and expression studies are needed to validate this association.