ASSOCIATION BETWEEN IL-1, IL-6, TGF-β AND IFN-γ SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE POLYMORPHISMS AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND METANALYSIS

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) constitute a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with increasing incidence. Cytokine changes may affect the integrity of the central nervous system, contributing to neuroinflammation and behavioral symptoms in patients with ASD. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can lead to immune disorders such as this. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether cytokine SNPs are more common in individuals with ASD. A systematic search of seven databases was conducted on September 19, 2023. Odds ratios (ORs) were used in the meta-analysis to test the association between each SNP and ASD. Six studies were included. Four cytokines were investigated: interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Although some studies alone have associated genotypic and allelic variants with ASD, the pooled results of the studies were not statistically significant in the meta-analysis. Our systematic review highlights important gaps and inspires new studies to investigate significant associations between genetic variations in different cytokines and the development of ASD.