TGFβ1 Leu10Pro polymorphism contributes to the development of prostate cancer: evidence from a meta-analysis

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1) plays a significant role in regulating cellular proliferation and apoptosis. A large number of studies related to the association between TGFβ1 Leu10Pro polymorphism and prostate cancer (PC) risk, but get conflicting results. We performed a meta-analysis based on six studies, assessing the strength of the association using odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI). Overall, our evidence has indicated that TGFβ1 Leu10Pro polymorphism had significantly increased PC risk in the allele comparison model (OR = 1.081, 95 % CI = 1.003–1.165, P heterogeneity = 0.141, P = 0.041). In the stratified analysis by ethnicity, the same results were found among Caucasians (for heterozygote model, OR = 1.741, 95 % CI = 1.004–3.020, P heterogeneity = 0.000, P = 0.049; recessive model, OR = 1.339, 95 % CI = 1.045–1.717, P heterogeneity = 0.020, P = 0.021; allele comparison model, OR = 1.091, 95 % CI = 1.005–1.184, P heterogeneity = 0.048, P = 0.037). In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggested that TGFβ1 Leu10Pro polymorphism contributed to the development of PC. A well-designed and larger study is still required to evaluate this polymorphism and PC risk.