Background: Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is a nuclear chromatin-associated enzyme involved in several important cellular processes, particularly in the DNA repair system. PARP-1 rs1136410: C>T is among the most studied polymorphisms and likely involved in human carcinogenesis. However, results from previous studies are inconclusive. Thus, a meta-analysis was conducted to derive a more precise estimation of the effects of this enzyme.
Methodology and principal findings: A comprehensive search was conducted in the PubMed and EMBASE databases until December 9, 2013. A total of 39 studies with 16,783 cancer cases and 23,063 control subjects were included in the meta-analysis on the basis of the inclusion and exclusion criteria. No significant association between the PARP-1 Val762Ala polymorphism and cancer risk was found when all of the studies were pooled into the analysis (VA + AA vs. VV: OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.95-1.11). The subgroup analysis of cancer types revealed that the -762Ala allele was associated with increased risk of gastric, cervical, and lung cancers and a decreased risk of glioma. In addition, a significantly increased risk of cancer associated with the polymorphism was observed in Asian descendents (VA + AA vs. VV: OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.09-1.25; AA vs. VV: OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.08-1.51; VA vs. VV: OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.04-1.20; AA vs. VA + VV: OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.03-1.39). These results also indicated that a joint effect between PARP-1 Val762Ala and XRCC1 Arg399Gln could be involved in the risk of cancer development (OR = 3.53, 95% CI = 1.30-9.59).
Conclusion: The present meta-analysis provides evidence that the PARP-1 Val762Ala may be involved in cancer development at least in some ethnic groups (Asian) or some specific cancer types (gastric, cervical, and lung cancers, and glioma).