Aim: To determine the correlation between CTLA-4 gene polymorphism and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility.
Methods: We collected all the publications about the relationship between CTLA-4 gene polymorphism and SLE susceptibility by searching PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Embase, Wanfang, CNKI and CBM before the date of May 20, 2012. The data were analyzed by the method of meta-analysis.
Results: A total of 12 studies were included, involving 3 gene locus, -1722, -1661 and -318. The results of total populations showed that there was a significant association between gene polymorphism and SLE risk in -1722 gene locus under a dominant model (OR=2.570, 95%CI=1.845-3.581, P<0.01) and -318 gene locus under a recessive model (OR=0.044, 95%CI=0.020-0.094, P<0.01). When stratified by population, the association still existed in Asian population, but no significant correlation existed in the other two populations (European and African).
Conclusion: This meta-analysis supports that the CTLA-4 1722T/C and -318T/C polymorphisms are associated with SLE susceptibility, especially in Asian population.