Association between MTR A2756G polymorphism and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a meta-analysis

Abstract

To date, many studies on the association between methionine synthase (MTR) A2756G and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have provided either controversial or inconclusive results. To clarify the effect of MTR A2756G on the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a meta-analysis of all relevant studies was performed. The fixed effects model showed that the 2756A allele was associated with a decreased risk of childhood ALL compared with the G allele (OR_{A vs. G} = 0.872; 95% CI 0.782–0.974; p = 0.015, I² = 46.9%). Additionally, when comparing subjects with ALL and controls with AA vs. AG or AA vs. AG + GG (dominant model), significant differences were found in the fixed effects model (OR_{AA vs. AG} = 0.869; 95% CI 0.760–0.994; p = 0.040, I² = 26.4%; OR_{AA vs. AG+ GG} = 0.858; 95% CI 0.754–0.976; p = 0.020, I² = 39.6%). In a subgroup analysis in a population with the same background, individuals with the AA genotype had a reduced risk of developing ALL compared to individuals with the AG genotype. In conclusion, our study provides evidence suggesting that MTR A2756G is associated with a reduced risk of developing childhood ALL.

Keywords::

• Methionine synthase
• polymorphism
• childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• meta-analysis

Potential conflict of interest:

Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at www.informahealthcare.com/lal.

This work was supported by grant 2011CDB099 from the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province and grant 2012136 from the National College Students’ Innovative Entrepreneurial Training Program.

Appendix

Search strategy and results in PubMed (through 29 Jan 2013)

1. methionine synthase (2845)

2. MS (197 716)

3. MTR gene (447)

4. 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase (834)

5. 1 OR 2 OR 3 OR 4 (200 640)

6. polymorphism (207 030)

7. genetics (2 449 910)

8. 6 OR 7 (2 471 767)

9. acute lymphoblastic leukemia (29 439)

10. 5 AND 8 AND 9 Limit: publication year from 2000 to 2013 (61)

Search strategy and results in ISI Web of Knowledge (until 29 Jan 2013)

1. methionine synthase (8143)

2. MS (645 962)

3. MTR gene (810)

4. 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase (870)

5. 1 OR 2 OR 3 OR 4 (654 623)

6. polymorphism (664 457)

7. genetics (4 657 692)

8. 6 OR 7 (4 932 755)

9. acute lymphoblastic leukemia (75 997)

10. 5 AND 8 AND 9 Limit: publication year from 2000 to 2013 (111)