A disintegrin and metalloprotease 33 (ADAM33) gene polymorphisms and the risk of asthma: A meta-analysis

Polymorphisms in the ADAM33 gene have been associated with asthma, but the data are controversial. Therefore, we reviewed the related studies and quantitatively summarized the associations between ADAM33 polymorphisms and asthma risk using meta-analysis. A dominant model (AA+Aa vs. aa), recessive model (AA vs. Aa+aa), additive model (AA vs. aa) and allelic model (A vs. a) were used to estimate the association between ADAM33 polymorphism and asthma risk. A total of 29 case–control studies referring to 14 SNPs were identified: rs2280091(T1), rs2787094(V4), rs528557(S2), rs2280090(T2), rs511898(F+1), rs44707(ST+4), rs3918396(S1), rs543749(V−1), rs574174(ST+7), rs597980(ST+5), rs2853209(S+1), rs2280089(T+1), rs612709(Q−1), and rs3746631(V5). The results indicated that S1, V−1, V5, S+1, S2, ST+4, ST+7, ST+5, and Q−1 were not associated with asthma. Significant associations were found with the T1, V4, F+1 and T+1 polymorphisms in the overall population. In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, a positive result was only found for the T1, V4, F+1 and T2 polymorphisms in Asia but not in Europe or Latin America. This meta-analysis provides evidence that the T1, V4, F+1, T2, and T+1 polymorphisms in the ADAM33 gene are risk factors for asthma, especially in the Asian population.