Associations between IL-23R gene polymorphism (rs10889677 A/C) and ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility: A meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis

Association of Interleukin 23 Receptor Polymorphisms with Predisposition to Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Updated Meta and Trial Sequential Analysis

The etiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) development remained unclear, and several factors, such as environmental, genetic, and immune system dysfunction, have been attributed to the susceptibility. Interleukin 23 (IL23) induces expansion of the Th17 cells through the IL-23 receptor (IL-23R) and believes in playing a major role in RA pathogenesis. Various genetic mutants in the IL23R gene (rs10489629, rs1343151, rs2201841, rs7517847, rs1004819, rs10889677, rs11209026, rs7530511) have been associated with the susceptibility RA, but results are contradictories. We performed a meta-analysis to establish the association of IL23R polymorphisms with susceptibility RA. For the meta-analysis, a detailed search of databases like Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct was conducted, and data were extracted from the included reports. The meta-analysis was performed by the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis v3 software. A significant association of IL-23R rs11209026 (AA vs. GG: Odds ratio = 2.250, p-value = 0.01; AA vs. GG+GA: Odds ratio = 2.271, p-value = 0.01), rs1343151 (A vs. G: Odds ratio = 1.091, p-value = 0.001; AA vs. GG: Odds ratio = 1.209, p-value = 0.001; GA vs. GG: Odds ratio = 1.116, p-value = 0.004; AA+GA vs. GG: Odds ratio = 1.135, p-value = 0.000; AA vs. GG+GA: Odds ratio = 1.144, p-value = 0.012) and rs10889677 (CA vs. CC: Odds ratio = 1.375, p-value = 0.041) polymorphisms were observed with increased susceptibility for the development of RA. In contrast, IL-23R rs10489629 (G vs. A: odds ratio = 0.901, p-value = 0.047, GG vs. AA: Odds ratio = 0.763, p-value = 0.022, GG vs. AA+AG: Odds ratio = 0.852, p-value = 0.00) and IL23R rs2201841 (CC vs. TT+TC: Odds ratio = 0.826, p-value = 0.026) variants were linked with protection against the development of RA. In addition, the trial sequential analysis revealed the inclusion of a sufficient number of studies in the present meta-analysis, and no further additional studies are required. IL-23R variants are associated with genetic susceptibility or resistance against the development of RA.