Purpose: High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection is the main known cause of cervical cancer. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a recognition molecule that mediates phagocytosis and activates complement.
Methods: We performed a meta-analysis to investigate the association of MBL-2 functional polymorphisms with HPV infection and cervical cancer (CC).
Results: The meta-analyses indicated an association between the MBL2 exon 1 polymorphisms and susceptibility to HPV infection in the recessive model (OO vs. AA + AO, p = 0.042, 95 % CI 1.02-3.15), and O/O vs. A/A mode (P = 0.023, 95 % CI 1.10-3.40) in Caucasian. Meanwhile, there was a significant association between MBL2 exon 1 polymorphisms and cervical cancer risk in AO vs. AA model (p = 0.035, 95 % CI 1.03-2.26), and Allelic model (O vs. A, p = 0.022, 95 % CI 1.05-1.96) as compared to HR-HPV-infected patients with CC vs. healthy controls in Caucasian. In addition, no an association was observed between MBL2 -550 H/L and -221 X/Y polymorphisms and HPV infection among Caucasians, but we found an association between the MBL2 -550 H/L polymorphism and susceptibility to HR-HPV infection in recessive model (HH vs. LL + LH, p = 0.003, 95 % CI 1.18-2.23), HH vs. LL model (p = 0.021, 95 % CI 1.07-2.19), and allelic model(H vs. L, p = 0.042, 95 % CI 1.01-1.40) in Asians.
Conclusions: Collectively, we suggest that the MBL2 gene exon1 polymorphisms are associated with increased risk of high-risk HPV infection and cervical cancer development among Caucasians. Additionally, no significant association was found between the MBL2 -550 H/L or -221 X/Y polymorphisms and HPV infection in Caucasians, but there may be potential links in Asians.
Keywords: Cervical cancer; Human papillomavirus; Mannose-binding lectin 2; Mannose-binding protein; Polymorphism.