Associations of TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 and rs3761847 polymorphisms with genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis: a case-control study and updated meta-analysis

The results on associations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor associated factor 1/complement component 5 (TRAF1/C5) rs10818488 and rs3761847 polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are controversial, thus this study was performed to examine whether the aforementioned polymorphisms were associated with RA in a Chinese population. Furthermore, an updated meta-analysis was conducted. The polymorphisms were genotyped in 328 Chinese RA patients and 449 healthy controls. Studies examining the association of TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 and/or rs3761847 polymorphism with RA were exhaustively searched. No significant difference in either genotype or allele distribution between RA patients and controls was found. The updated meta-analysis was conducted based on 19 articles including the present study. A significant association of RA with TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 polymorphism G allele in Europeans (OR = 0.843, 95% CI = 0.730-0.975, p = 0.021) and in Asians (OR = 1.070, 95% CI = 1.009-1.136, p = 0.024) was found. Additionally, a significant association of RA with TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 polymorphism G allele under the recessive model in Asians (OR = 1.129, 95% CI = 1.023-1.246, p = 0.016) and in Africans (OR = 0.657, 95% CI = 0.507-0.851, p = 0.001) was found. Only a borderline significant association of RA with TRAF1/C5 rs3761847 polymorphism A allele was found in Europeans. Non-significant associations of RA with TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 and rs3761847 polymorphisms were found in our study. The updated meta-analysis results demonstrate that TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 polymorphism is associated with RA in Europeans, Asians and Africans, and TRAF1/C5 rs3761847 polymorphism is associated with RA in Europeans with borderline significant evidence.