Meta-Analysis
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Dec 15, 2023; 15(12): 2225-2236
Published online Dec 15, 2023. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v15.i12.2225
Association of MBOAT7 rs641738 polymorphism with hepatocellular carcinoma susceptibility: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Min Lai, Ya-Lu Qin, Qiong-Yu Jin, Wen-Jing Chen, Jia Hu
Min Lai, Qiong-Yu Jin, Wen-Jing Chen, Jia Hu, Department of Gastroenterology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College/Chengdu Pidu District People's Hospital, Chengdu 611730, Sichuan Province, China
Ya-Lu Qin, Department of Cardiology, the Affiliated Third Hospital of Chengdu Traditional Chinese Medicine University/Chengdu Pidu District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611730, Sichuan Province, China
Co-first authors: Min Lai and Ya-Lu Qin.
Author contributions: Lai M and Qin YL conceived, designed, and refined the study protocol; Lai M, Qin YL, Jin QY, Chen WJ, and Hu J were involved in the data collection; Lai M, Qin YL, and Jin QY analyzed the data; Lai M and Qin YL drafted the manuscript; all authors were involved in the critical review of the results and have contributed to, read, and approved the final manuscript. Lai M and Qin YL contributed equally to this work as co-first authors. The reasons for designating Lai M and Qin YL as co-first authors are threefold. First, the research was performed as a collaborative effort, and the designation of co-first authorship accurately reflects the distribution of responsibilities and burdens associated with the time and effort required to complete the study and the resultant paper. This also ensures effective communication and management of post-submission matters, ultimately enhancing the paper's quality and reliability. Second, the overall research team encompassed authors with a variety of expertise and skills from different fields, and the designation of co-first authors best reflects this diversity. This also promotes the most comprehensive and in-depth examination of the research topic, ultimately enriching readers' understanding by offering various expert perspectives. Third, Lai M and Qin YL contributed efforts of equal substance throughout the research process. The choice of these researchers as co-first authors acknowledges and respects this equal contribution, while recognizing the spirit of teamwork and collaboration of this study. In summary, we believe that designating Lai M and Qin YL as co-first authors is fitting for our manuscript as it accurately reflects our team's collaborative spirit, equal contributions, and diversity.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have nothing to disclose.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2020 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2020 Checklist.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Min Lai, MD, Doctor, Department of Gastroenterology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College/Chengdu Pidu District People's Hospital, No. 666 Section 2, Deyuan North Road, Pidu District, Chengdu 611730, Sichuan Province, China. laimin1128Lm@126.com
Received: August 27, 2023
Peer-review started: August 27, 2023
First decision: October 18, 2023
Revised: October 23, 2023
Accepted: November 17, 2023
Article in press: November 17, 2023
Published online: December 15, 2023
Processing time: 108 Days and 21.5 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

The MBOAT7 rs641738 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has been proven to influence various liver diseases, but its association with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) susceptibility has been debated. To address this discrepancy, we conducted the current systematic review and meta-analysis.

Research motivation

Investigating whether MBOAT7 SNP has an association with HCC susceptibility could help identify at-risk population.

Research objectives

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the association of the MBOAT7 SNP and HCC susceptibility, aiming to provide an updated and comprehensive assessment of the evolving evidence in this area.

Research methods

We performed a systematic review in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE; applied specific inclusion and exclusion criteria; and extracted the data. Meta-analysis was conducted with the meta package in R. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were also performed.

Research results

Eight studies were included in the systematic review, and 12 cohorts from 6 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis revealed an association between the MBOAT7 SNP and HCC susceptibility in both the dominant [odds ratio (OR): 1.14, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.02-1.26, P = 0.020] and recessive (OR: 1.21, 95%CI: 1.05-1.39, P = 0.008) models. Subgroup analysis revealed that stratification of the included patients by geographical origin showed a significant association in Asia (OR: 1.20, 95%CI: 1.03-1.39).

Research conclusions

This meta-analysis underscores the contribution of the MBOAT7 rs641738 SNP to hepatocarcinogenesis, especially in Asian populations, which warrants further investigation.

Research perspectives

Future research should focus on what is the specific molecular biological mechanism of MBOAT7 rs641738 SNP leading to HCC and how to prevent it.