Background: DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) has been discovered to play an important role in tumorigenesis. However, the association between DNMT3B-579G>T and the cancer risk has not been demonstrated.
Objective: The aim of this study is to provide a precise quantification for the association between DNMT3B-579G>T and the cancer susceptibility.
Methods: We performed a systematic literature review and assessed the methodological quality of included case-control designed studies based on Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were calculated to assess the strengths of the association.
Results: We identified 18 studies for pooled analyses. Overall, the results demonstrated that the DNMT3B-579G>T polymorphism was significantly associated with a subtly decreased cancer risk (GT vs TT: OR = 0.78, 95%CI: 0.70-0.87, P< 0.01; GT + GG vs TT: OR = 0.81, 95%CI: 0.68-0.97, P= 0.02), especially in the Asian population and in colorectal cancer subgroup. In addition, when stratified for source of controls, the results of population-based subgroup showed the GT genotype might have a significantly decreased cancer risk, but not hospital-based subgroups.
Conclusions: DNMT3B-579G>T polymorphism might contribute to the susceptibility of cancers especially in the Asian population and for colorectal cancer.
Keywords: DNMT3B; cancer; polymorphism; quantitative assessment.