Genetic polymorphisms of MBL2 and tuberculosis susceptibility: a meta-analysis of 22 case-control studies

Introduction: The association of mannose-binding lectin gene (MBL2) polymorphisms with tuberculosis susceptibility was inconclusive.In this study, a meta-analysis of 22 case-control studies was carried out to assess the effect of MBL2 polymorphisms on tuberculosis risk.Material and methods: A search was performed in Embase, PubMed and Web of Science up to Sep 30, 2015.Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were used to assess the association.Statistical analyses were performed using STATA 12.0 software.Results: rs1800451 was associated with a decreased tuberculosis risk in the allele model (C vs. A: OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.86-1.00,p = 0.050).In analyses stratified by ethnicity, rs7096206 (C/G: OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.10-1.57,p = 0.003; GG vs. GC + CC: OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56-0.85,p < 0.001) and A/O (O/A: OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.10-1.64,p = 0.004) were associated with tuberculosis risk in Asians, A/O (AA vs. AO + OO: OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.51-0.99,p = 0.041) and rs1800451 (AC vs. AA + CC: OR = 2.70, 95% CI: 1.27-5.74,p = 0.010) were associated with tuberculosis risk in Americans, and rs1800451 (C/A: OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86-0.99,p = 0.035) was associated with tuberculosis risk in Africans.Additionally, rs1800450 (B/A: OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.25-0.72,p = 0.001) was associated with tuberculosis risk in Europeans. Conclusions:The MBL2 rs1800451 polymorphism is associated with decreased TB risk in the general population, and A/O, rs7096206, rs1800450 and rs1800451 are likely to be associated with the risk for some specific ethnic groups.