AUTHOR=Tao Rongshan , Xiao Shujuan , Wang Lianping , Hu Chunjie , Suo Huiqin , Long Ruiyu , Liu Hangyu , Luo Wei , Hong Feng , Zhao Jingming , Li Qingjie 

TITLE=Association between vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2024.1382957

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2024.1382957

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p>Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Previous studies have reported that TB susceptibility can be caused by vitamin D deficiency, which is affected by polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (<italic>VDR</italic>) gene. However, these results have been inconsistent. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to investigate the association between <italic>VDR</italic> polymorphisms and TB susceptibility.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>We systematically searched for relevant literature in PubMed, Embase, and Medline databases through December 31st, 2022. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were made to ensure that HIV-negative population is the targeted subjects. The pooled odds ratio (<italic>OR</italic>) and 95% confidence interval (<italic>CI</italic>) were then used to assess the strength of the association, and the quality of the included articles was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Potential sources of heterogeneity were evaluated based on subgroup and meta-regression analyses.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>In our meta-analysis, we found that the FokI polymorphism in the <italic>VDR</italic> gene was associated with increased TB susceptibility in the allele and recessive genotype models (<italic>OR</italic> f vs. F = 1.235, 95%<italic>CI</italic>: 1.035–1.475; <italic>OR</italic> ff vs. Ff + FF = 1.317, 95%<italic>CI</italic>: 1.005–1.727. Further subgroup analysis based on ethnicity demonstrated the association with the risk of TB in all genotype models of the FokI polymorphism for Han population. Meta-regression analysis also indicated that ethnicity could be a potential source of heterogeneity in the FokI and BsmI polymorphisms in the <italic>VDR</italic> gene. However, publication year was another source of heterogeneity for the <italic>Taq</italic>I polymorphism.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>In summary, the <italic>Fok</italic>I polymorphism in the <italic>VDR</italic> gene was found to increase the risk of TB in the HIV-negative population, both overall and in Asian populations. The findings presented in this paper could provide clues for preventing TB from the perspective of vitamin D supplementation, which is a controversial topic in the field of medicine and health.</p></sec>