REGULAR ARTICLE Integrin, alpha 2 gene C807T polymorphism and risk of ischemic stroke: A meta-analysis Georgios K. Nikolopoulos a, * , Argirios E. Tsantes b , Pantelis G. Bagos c , Anthi Travlou b , Georgios Vaiopoulos d a Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece b Laboratory of Hematology and Blood Bank Unit, dAttikonT General Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece c Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens, 15701, Greece d First Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Laikon General Hospital, Greece Received 15 February 2006; received in revised form 14 April 2006; accepted 17 April 2006 Available online 3 July 2006 Abstract Introduction: Platelet adhesion to fibrillar collagen via the membrane glycoprotein (GP) Ia/IIa (a2h1), is a crucial event in the pathogenesis of arterial occlusive disorders. The C807T single nucleotide polymorphism of the integrin, alpha 2 (ITGA2) gene has been shown to correlate with the platelet GPIa/IIa density. Consequently, subjects with the 807T allele, who express the highest receptor density, might have an increased potential of platelet adhesion and, hence an increased risk of cerebrovascular disease. However, the research findings remain controversial. Materials and methods: A comprehensive electronic search was carried out up until November 2005 and 7 independent studies with a maximum of 774 cases and 1074 controls were analyzed using random effects models. Results: The pooled frequency of the T allele was 36.33% in cases and 37.01% in controls. The T versus the C allele contrast gave an OR of 1.11 (95% confidence interval = 0.827—1.499). All the other comparisons failed to show any significant result. Age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors were included as covariates into a meta-regression model without a significant finding. 0049-3848/$ - see front matter D 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.thromres.2006.04.002 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +30 210 8899246; fax: +30 210 8210020. E-mail addresses: gnikolopoulos@keel.org.gr, g.nikolopoulos@keel.gr (G.K. Nikolopoulos). KEYWORDS Ischemic stroke; Platelet; ITGA2 ; C807T polymorphism; Meta-analysis Thrombosis Research (2007) 119, 501 — 510 intl.elsevierhealth.com/journals/thre