Synopsis and meta-analysis of genetic association studies in osteoporosis for the focal adhesion family genes: the CUMAGAS-OSTEOporosis information system

BACKGROUND Focal adhesion (FA) family genes have been studied as candidate genes for osteoporosis, but the results of genetic association studies (GASs) are controversial. To clarify these data, a systematic assessment of GASs for FA genes in osteoporosis was conducted. METHODS We developed Cumulative Meta-Analysis of GAS-OSTEOporosis (CUMAGAS-OSTEOporosis), a web-based information system that allows the retrieval, analysis and meta-analysis (for allele contrast, recessive, dominant, additive and codominant models) of data from GASs on osteoporosis with the capability of update. GASs were identified by searching the PubMed and HuGE PubLit databases. RESULTS Data from 72 studies involving 13 variants of 6 genes were analyzed and catalogued in CUMAGAS-OSTEOporosis. Twenty-two studies produced significant associations with osteoporosis risk under any genetic model. All studies were underpowered (<50%). In four studies, the controls deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Eight variants were chosen for meta-analysis, and significance was shown for the variants collagen, type I, α1 (COL1A1) G2046T (all genetic models), COL1A1 G-1997T (allele contrast and dominant model) and integrin β-chain β3 (ITGB3) T176C (recessive and additive models). In COL1A1 G2046T, subgroup analysis has shown significant associations for Caucasians, adults, females, males and postmenopausal women. A differential magnitude of effect in large versus small studies (that is, indication of publication bias) was detected for the variant COL1A1 G2046T. CONCLUSION There is evidence of an implication of FA family genes in osteoporosis. CUMAGAS-OSTEOporosis could be a useful tool for current genomic epidemiology research in the field of osteoporosis.