Association of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 2518G/A gene polymorphism with diabetic nephropathy risk.

Results from the published studies on the association between monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) -2518 A/G gene polymorphism and diabetic nephropathy (DN) risk are still conflicting. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between MCP-1 A/G gene polymorphism and DN risk and to explore whether MCP-1 A allele, AA genotype or GG genotype could become a predictive marker for DN risk. Association studies were identified from the databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and CBM-disc (China Biological Medicine Database) as of 1 March 2014, and eligible investigations were synthesized using meta-analysis method. Four studies were identified for the analysis of association between MCP-1 A/G gene polymorphism and DN risk, and all the included studies were form Asian population. The association between MCP-1 A/G gene polymorphism and DN susceptibility was not found (A allele: OR = 1.19; 95% CI: 0.97-1.45; p = 0.10; AA genotype: OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 0.95-1.70; p = 0.11; GG genotype: OR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.57-1.05; p = 0.10). In the sensitive analysis, according to the control source from hospital, we found that AA genotype was associated with the DN risk (OR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.05-2.00; p = 0.02). However, other associations were not found in the sensitive analysis according to the control source from hospital or population. Our results indicate that AA homozygous might be a significant genetic molecular marker to predict the diabetes mellitus patients developing into DN. However, more investigations are required to further clarify this association.