Promoter Polymorphism of Toll-Like Receptor 4 is Associated with a Decreased Risk of Coronary Artery Disease: A Case-Control Study in the Chinese Han Population

Association of TLR4 and TLR9 gene polymorphisms with the risk and progression of cervical lesions in HPV-infected women

Aim: Toll-like receptors involved in tumor-associated inflammatory response, this study aimed to investigate the role of TLR4 and TLR9 gene polymorphisms in the risk and progression of HPV-related cervical lesions. Materials & methods: A total of 220 cervical lesion patients and 227 healthy controls were enrolled. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: A significantly decreased risk of cervical lesions was observed to be associated with the TLR4 rs10116253 (C), rs1927911 (T) and rs10759931 (G) mutant alleles. rs187084-rs1927911-HPV-16/18 was the best interaction model to affect cervical lesion risk. Conclusion: TLR4 rs10116253, rs1927911 and rs10759931 were potential biomarkers for cervical lesion susceptibility.

Association of TLR4 and TLR9 gene polymorphisms with cervical HR-HPV infection status in Chinese Han population

BACKGROUND

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) may be involved in the natural history of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. In our study, we aimed to investigate the association of TLR4 (rs10116253, rs1927911, rs10759931) and TLR9 (rs187084, rs352140) gene polymorphisms with cervical persistent high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infection, as well as multiple HR-HPV infections.

METHODS

A total of 269 study subjects were enrolled and grouped by retrospectively analyzing the HR-HPV testing results and other clinical data of 2647 gynecological outpatients from Jingzhou Hospital Affiliated to Yangtze University. We conducted a case-control study to compare the role of TLR4/TLR9 gene polymorphisms between HR-HPV transient and persistent infections, as well as between HR-HPV single and multiple infections. HR-HPV genotypes were detected using Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to determine TLR4 and TLR9 gene polymorphisms. Analyses of the different outcome variables (HR-HPV infection status and time for HR-HPV clearance) with respect to TLR4/TLR9 polymorphisms were carried out. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association of TLR4/TLR9 genotypes and alleles with HR-HPV infection status. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test was used to analyze the relationship between TLR4/TLR9 genotypes and the time for HR-HPV clearance.

RESULTS

The mutant genotypes of TLR9 rs187084 and rs352140 were associated with persistent (rs187084: CT and CT+CC; rs352140: CT and CT+TT) and multiple (rs187084: CT and CT+CC; rs352140: CT+TT) (all P < 0.05) HR-HPV infection. However, no association was found between TLR4 polymorphisms and HR-HPV infection status. Kaplan-Meier time to HR-HPV clearance analysis demonstrated that women carrying rs187084 and rs352140 mutant genotypes take longer duration to clear HR-HPV infection compared with wild-type genotype carriers (P1 = 0.012; P2 = 0.031).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggested that TLR9 polymorphisms, but not TLR4, were associated with cervical persistent and multiple HR-HPV infections, which could be useful as a potential predictor of HR-HPV infection status.

Association between the Genetic Polymorphisms of CCL2, CCL5, CCL8, CCR2, and CCR5 with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection in the Chinese Han Population

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global public health burden. Chronic HCV infection leads to the development of fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure over time.Methods: A total of 250 patients with chronic HCV infection and 299 healthy blood donors were recruited. Sixteen candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), CCL5, CCL8, C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), and CCR5 were genotyped in all participants.Results: The rs1024610 AA genotype was significantly associated with decreased susceptibility to chronic HCV infection. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, AST/platelet ratio index, and the fibrosis 4 score were significantly lower in the CCL2 rs1024610 T allele and haplotype ATGC carriers. Moreover, expression levels of collagen IV (C-IV) and laminin (LN) were significantly higher in patients with the CCL5 rs2280788 C allele compared to the non-carriers. Similarly, the expression levels of C-IV, LN, and hyaluronic acid were significantly higher in patients with the CCL5 haplotype, TGCT. No significant differences were identified between the SNPs/haplotypes and plasma levels of CCL2, CCL5, CCL8, CCR2, and CCR5 in the healthy controls, and the rs1024610 allele alteration had no effect on CCL2 promoter activity.Conclusions: This is the first study to report an association between CCL2 rs1024610 and the risk of chronic HCV infection in the Chinese Han population. rs1024610 and ATGC haplotype in CCL2 were reasonable candidate markers of liver abnormalities. rs2280788 and TGCT haplotype in CCL5 are likely to play a significant role in liver fibrosis during chronic HCV infection.