Genetics of Ischaemic Stroke among Persons of Non-European Descent: A Meta-Analysis of Eight Genes Involving ∼ 32,500 Individuals

Background: Ischaemic stroke in persons of European descent has a genetic basis, but whether the stroke-susceptibility alleles, the strength of any association, and the extent of their attributable risks are the same in persons of non-European descent remains unanswered. Whether ethnicity itself has a relevant or substantial contribution on those effect estimates is controversial. Comparative analyses between the ethnic groups may allow general conclusions to be drawn about polygenic disorders. Methods and Findings: We performed a literature-based systematic review of genetic association studies in stroke in persons of non-European descent. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined for each gene–disease association using fixed and random effect models. We further performed a comparative genetic analysis across the different ethnic groups (including persons of European descent derived from our previous meta-analysis) to determine if genetic risks varied by ethnicity. Following a review of 500 manuscripts, eight candidate gene variants were analysed among 32,431 individuals (12,883 cases and 19,548 controls), comprising mainly Chinese, Japanese, and Korean individuals. Of the eight candidate genes studied, three were associated with ischaemic stroke: the angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism with a mean OR of 1.90 (95% CI 1.23–2.93) in the Chinese and 1.74 (95% CI 0.88–3.42) in the Japanese; the summary OR for the C677T variant of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) was 1.18 (95% CI 0.90–1.56) in Chinese and 1.34 (95% CI 0.87–2.06) in Koreans; and the pooled OR for the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene was 2.18 (95% CI 1.52–3.13) in Chinese and 1.51 (95% CI 0.93–2.45) in Japanese. Comparing the commonly investigated stroke genes among the Asian groups against studies in persons of European descent, we found an absence of any substantial qualitative or quantitative interaction for ORs by ethnicity. However, the number of individuals recruited per study in the studies of persons of non-European descent was significantly smaller compared to studies of persons of European descent, despite a similar number of studies conducted per gene. Conclusions: These data suggest that genetic associations studied to date for ischaemic stroke among persons of non-European descent are similar to those for persons of European descent. Claims of differences in genetic effects among different ethnic populations for complex disorders such as stroke may be overstated. However, due to the limited number of gene variants evaluated, the relatively smaller number of individuals included in the meta-analyses of persons of non-European descent in stroke, and the possibility of publication bias, the existence of allele variants with differential effects by ethnicity cannot be excluded. This meta-analysis found that genetic associations so far studied for ischemic stroke among non-Europeans are similar to those found for persons of European descent. Background.: A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted, either because a blood vessel supplying the brain becomes blocked or because one ruptures. Strokes are a substantial cause of death and disability worldwide, with most of the burden affecting people living in developed countries. Most strokes fall into a category termed ischemic stroke. This type is caused by blockages in the blood vessels supplying the brain, which can happen when there is a buildup of fatty deposits or clots within the blood vessels. Many of the risk factors for this particular type of stroke are affected by an individual's behavior, including for example smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, inactivity, and so on. In addition, variations in an individual's genetic makeup might affect his or her chance of having a stroke. Previous research studies have shown that variants in many different genes are likely to be involved in determining the overall risk of having a stroke, each variant contributing in a small way to the risk. Why Was This Study Done?: The group performing this study had previously carried out a systematic review of existing research, looking specifically at the genetics of ischemic stroke among people of European origin (often called “Caucasians”). However, it was not obvious whether the genetic risk factors for stroke they found would be the same for people from a different ethnic background. Therefore the research group wanted to find out what the genetic risk factors were for stroke among people of non-European origin and to compare these findings with those of their previous systematic review. This research might help to find out whether the genetic risk factors for stroke were different in people from different parts of the world. What Did the Researchers Do and Find?: As a starting point, these researchers wanted to find all the different studies that had already been carried out examining the effect of genetic risk factors on stroke among people of non-European origin. To do this, searches were carried out of electronic databases using a particular set of terms. All resulting studies that involved genetic research in people of non-European origin and in which strokes were confirmed by brain scanning were then evaluated in more detail. The findings of different studies were combined if at least three studies were available for the same genetic variant. Eventually 60 studies were found that looked at the association between eight specific gene variants and stroke. The only data that could be included in a combined analysis came from Chinese, Japanese, and Korean populations. Three of the eight gene variants were associated with an increased risk of stroke. Those three gene variants were ACE I/D (a variant in the gene coding for angiotensin 1-converting enzyme, which is involved in controlling blood pressure); a variant in MTHFR (which codes for the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, and which converts certain amino acids within cells); and a variant in the gene APOE, which codes for a protein that plays a role in breaking down fats. The researchers then compared their findings from this study with the findings of a previous systematic review they had carried out among people of European origin. Overall, each gene studied seemed to have a similar effect in the different populations, with the exception of APOE, which seemed to be associated with stroke in the Asian studies but not in the studies from people of non-European origin. The researchers also found that generally the Asian studies suggested a slightly greater effect of each gene variant than the studies in people of non-European origin did. What Do These Findings Mean?: These findings suggest that, with the possible exception of APOE, similar gene variants play a role in determining stroke risk in people of European origin and Asian populations. Although generally the studies examined here suggested a slightly greater effect of these gene variants in Asian populations, this is not necessarily a real finding. This greater effect may just be due to small-study bias. Small-study bias describes the observation that small research studies are more likely to produce a false positive result than are large research studies. Therefore, future studies that examine the genetic basis of stroke should recruit much larger numbers of participants from populations made up of people of non-European origin than has previously been the case. Additional Information.: Please access these Web sites via the online version of this summary at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0040131.