Circulating interleukin-10 levels and human papilloma virus and epstein–barr virus-associated cancers: Evidence from a mendelian randomization meta-analysis based on 11,170 subjects

Recent studies have showed interleukin 10 (IL-10) is a critical cytokine that determines antiviral immune response and is related to virus-associated cancers. However, whether genetically elevated circulating IL-10 levels are associated with the risk of human papilloma virus and Epstein–Barr virus-associated cancers (HEACs) is still unclear. Mendelian randomization method was implemented to meta-analyze available observational studies by employing IL-10 three variants (-592C>A, -819C>T, and -1082C>G) as instruments. A total of 24 articles encompassing 11,170 subjects were ultimately eligible for the meta-analysis. Overall, there was a significant association between IL-10 promoter variant -1082C>G and HEACs under allelic and dominant models (both PC<0.01). Subgroup analysis by cancer type indicated that the risk estimate of -1082C>G was significant for nasopharyngeal cancer under allelic, homozygous genotypic and dominant models (all PC<0.001). Moreover by ethnicity, carriers of -1082G allele had a 74% increased risk for nasopharyngeal cancer in Asians under dominant model (odds ratio [OR] =1.737; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.280–2.358; PC<0.001). In further Mendelian randomization analysis, the predicted OR for 10 pg/mL increment in IL-10 levels was 1.14 (95% CI: 1.01–16.99) in HEACs. Our findings provided strong evidence for a critical role of genetically elevated circulating IL-10 levels in the development of HEACs, especially in Asian population and for nasopharyngeal cancer.