Association of matrix metalloproteinase-9 C1562T polymorphism and coronary artery disease: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: Many investigations have studied the associations between matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) C1562T polymorphisms and coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the conclusions of these studies were inconsistent. Therefore, this study was aimed at clarifying the association between MMP-9 C1562T polymorphisms and CAD in a large-scale meta-analysis. METHODS: The PubMed and Embase databases were retrieved to collect all publications on the association between MMP-9 C1562T polymorphisms and CAD. Then the odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for C1562T TT+TC versus CC genotype between CAD and the control groups were evaluated. Subgroup analysis was also performed according to different races. The meta-analysis was performed by Stata 10.0. RESULTS: Sixteen case-control studies were included in our meta-analysis, involving 11032 CAD patients and 4628 non-CAD controls. Compared with C allele carriers, East Asian T allele carriers TT+TC had a significantly higher risk of CAD (OR=1.43; 95% CI: 1.03-1.99; P=0.031); however, there were no significant associations in Western populations (OR=1.06; 95% CI: 0.96-1.18; P=0.240) or West Asians (OR=1.13; 95% CI: 0.75-1.70; P=0.565). When further analyzing the association between C1562T polymorphisms and myocardial infarction (MI, the most serious type of CAD), the risk of TT+TC genotype versus CC genotype for MI was significantly higher for the overall (OR=1.21; 95% CI: 1.04-1.40; P=0.012) and for East Asians (OR=1.58; 95% CI: 1.26-1.97; P=0.000) but not in Western populations (OR=1.12; 95% CI: 0.99-1.26; P=0.078). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis suggested an obvious ethnic difference in the association between MMP-9 C1562T polymorphisms and CAD. MMP-9 C1562T polymorphism was significantly related to CAD in East Asians. However, no significant associations were observed in either West Asians or Western populations.