THADA_rs13429458 Minor Allele Increases the Risk of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Asian, but Not in Caucasian Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a highly prevalent disease in young women that also features increased insulin resistance. Genetic factors have a strong relationship with the etiology of PCOS. We assessed whether carrying THADA rs13429458 is associated with the development of PCOS by meta-analysis and whether the association is influenced by ethnicity. Articles were searched using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Korean scientific database, and Chinese and Indian medical databases to identify all eligible studies for evaluating the association of THADA rs13429458 and PCOS risk. The association was assessed in five genetic random effects models including the allelic (AG), recessive (RG), dominant (DG), homozygous (HMG), and heterozygous (HTG) genetic models. Subgroup analyses stratified by ethnicity (Asians and non-Asians) were assessed. Nine articles were selected and 1 association analysis of Korea PCOS study met Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium criteria. A set of 38 224 PCOS women and 120 173 healthy women were included. The AG and RG showed heterogeneity in the overall and Asian subjects, but the other genetic model did not exhibit heterogeneity in all subjects. AG, RG, DG, and HMG, but not HTG, exhibited publication bias in total subjects but there was no publication bias in all genetic models among Asians and non-Asians. The overall effect of THADA_rs13429458 on PCOS risk showed significant positive associations in pooling 10 studies. In sub-group analysis only Asians, but not non-Asians, had a positive association (AG: OR=1.24, p=0.001; RG: OR=1.32, p=0.002; DG: OR, 1.70, p<0.00001; HMG: OR, 1.71, p=0.002; HTG: OR=1.34, p=0,006). In conclusions, young Asian women with the minor allele (C) for THADA rs13429458 were at increased risk of PCOS.