Assessment of the Association between Genetic Polymorphisms in the CHI3L1 Gene and Asthma Risk

Background: Chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1) is an important factor involved in the development of asthma. This meta-analysis assessed the association of the CHI3L1 polymorphisms rs4950928, rs10399931, rs883125, rs880633, and rs10399805 with asthma risk. Methods: The literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure up until September 4, 2021, for relevant studies. Sixteen publications with 18 studies involving 5,005 asthma patients and 9,725 controls were included in this meta-analysis. Results: The meta-analyses showed that among East-Asian subjects, increased asthma risk was associated with CHI3L1 rs4950928 (GG + CG vs. CC: odds ratio [OR] = 1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–1.88, p = 0.011; GG vs. CG + CC: OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.20–2.26, p = 0.002; GG vs. CC: OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.41–2.75, p = 0.000; and G vs. C: OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.12–1.66, p = 0.002) and rs883125 (G vs. C: OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.01–1.99, p = 0.043), whereas CHI3L1 rs10399931 was associated with reduced asthma risk (TT vs. CT + CC: OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.64–0.99, p = 0.038; TT vs. CC: OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.61–0.98, p = 0.030). In addition, we found an association between CHI3L1 rs4950928 and asthma risk in adult subjects but not children, while CHI3L1 rs883125 was associated with asthma risk in children. Conclusion: The CHI3L1 polymorphisms rs4950928, rs10399931, and rs883125 are important genetic factors for asthma among East-Asian subjects.