CYP17 T/C (rs74357) gene polymorphism contributes to polycystic ovary syndrome susceptibility: evidence from a meta-analysis
The cytochrome P450 family 17 (CYP17) is associated with hyperandrogenism in women and the association between CYP17 gene polymorphism and the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is not definitive. In order to determine whether the CYP17 T/C (rs74357) gene polymorphism is an exposure risk for PCOS, a comprehensive meta-analysis summarizing 19 studies was performed. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and the corresponding 95 % confidence interval (CI) were measured under 5 genetic models. And the stratified analyses by ethnicity, HWE, testosterone levels and BMI in controls was carried out to identify causes of substantial heterogeneity. The overall results validated that the CYP17 T/C (rs74357) gene polymorphism was significantly associated with PCOS risk in 4 genetic models. Moreover, the outcomes of subgroup analysis by ethnicity were indicated that the frequencies of C allele of the CYP17 T/C polymorphism were markedly higher in women from Asian than Caucasian (T versus C: OR 0.85, 95% CI =0.74–0.99, P < 0.05). Therefore, these findings suggested that the CYP17 T/C (rs74357) gene polymorphism played an indispensable part in increasing the susceptibility of PCOS when carrying the C allele, which proposed that the polymorphism of CYP17 gene may be a predictive factor for the risk of PCOS or an important pathway in PCOS associated metabolic and hormonal dysregulation.