Disease type-stratified subgroup analysis yielded increased risk of related diseases in IL-27 rs181206 T>C carriers in the allele model in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), asthma, and esophageal cancer (EC) subgroups (ITP: OR=0.69, 95%CI=0.53~0.88, P=0.004; asthma: OR=0.60, 95%CI=0.41~0.89, P=0.010; EC: OR=0.79, 95%CI=0.64~0.97, P=0.026); and IL-27 rs153109 A>G polymorphism was remarkably associated with the increased risk of related diseases in the allele model in ovarian cancer (OC), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), tuberculosis (TB), ulcerative colitis (UC), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) subgroups (all P<0.05).
Our results indicate that the genetic polymorphisms of IL-27 rs153109 and rs181206 may be involved in the progression of human cancers and diseases, especially of TB, UC, COPD, OC, and ITP.