Associations between interleukin-23 receptor polymorphisms and susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis

The aim of this study was to determine whether interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) polymorphisms confer susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A meta-analysis was conducted on the associations between the IL-23R rs1343151, rs10489629, rs7517847, rs11209026, rs1004819, and rs2201841 polymorphisms and RA using (1) allele contrast, (2) the recessive model, (3) the dominant model, and (4) the additive model. A total of 13 studies from eight articles involving 10,016 RA patients and 11,967 controls were considered in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis identified a significant association between RA and the A allele of the rs1343151 polymorphism in the overall population (OR = 1.110, 95 % CI = 1.056-1.168, p = 4.7 x 10(-6)). Stratification by ethnicity identified a significant association between this polymorphism and RA in Europeans (OR = 1.105, 95 % CI = 1.049-1.163, p = 1.4 x 10(-5)). An association was also found between RA and the A allele carrier of the rs1343151 polymorphism in Europeans (OR = 1.135, 95 % CI = 1.058-1.217, p = 4.0 x 10(-5)). Meta-analysis revealed a significant association between RA and the A allele of the rs10489629 polymorphism in the overall population (OR = 1.079, 95 % CI = 1.029-1.131, p = 0.002) and in Europeans (OR = 1.092, 95 % CI = 1.038-1.149, p = 0.001). Meta-analyses of recessive, dominant, and additive models showed the same pattern as the meta-analysis of the A allele of the rs10489629 polymorphism, that is, a significant association with RA in Europeans. However, no association was found between the IL-23R rs7517847, rs11209026, rs1004819, and rs2201841 polymorphisms and RA susceptibility. This meta-analysis shows that the IL-23R rs1343151 and rs10489629 polymorphisms are associated with the development of RA in Europeans. These findings suggest that the IL-23R genes confer susceptibility to RA in the European population, but further study of this association is required in other ethnic groups.