Interleukin 2 receptor α gene polymorphism and risk of multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis studied the association between interleukin 2 receptor α (IL2RA) gene polymorphisms rs2104286 and rs12722489 and susceptibility to multiple sclerosis (MS). Case-control genetic association studies published before January 2011 were retrieved from the PubMed and EMBASE databases and the Cochrane Library. Eight studies comprising 13 569 patients and 23 435 controls met the selection criteria for meta-analysis of the IL2RA rs2104286 polymorphism. Using a fixed-effects model, the T allele and the TT and TT + TC genotypes of the IL2RA rs2104286 polymorphism were found to be associated with MS. Five studies comprising 5643 patients and 6415 controls met the selection criteria for meta-analysis of the IL2RA rs12722489 polymorphism. Using a fixed-effects model, the C allele and the CC genotype of the IL2RA rs12722489 polymorphism were found to be associated with MS but the CC + CT genotype was not. It was concluded that both of the IL2RA gene polymorphisms, rs2104286 and rs12722489, were associated with increased susceptibility to MS.