Affiliations: Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Division
of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Istanbul, Turkey | Ankara University, Institute of Forensic Medicine,
Ankara, Turkey | Sureyyapasa Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery
Teaching Hospital, Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Istanbul, Turkey | Marmara University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Division of
Clinical Pharmacy, Istanbul, Turkey
Abstract: Objectives: Genetic variants in Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are
considered a potential indicator for host susceptibility to and outcome of
several infectious diseases including tuberculosis. The aim of this study was
to determine whether −129 C/G and Met1Val polymorphisms of TLR8 were
associated with pediatric pulmonary tuberculosis in Turkish population. Methods: The −129 C/G and Met1Val polymorphisms were studied in 124 children
with pulmonary tuberculosis compared to 150 age-matched healthy control
subjects. Results: We did not identify any statistically significant
differences between the patients with TB and control groups with regard to the
frequency of genotypes GG or G/(−), CG, and CC or C/(−); and alleles G and
C at rs3764879 (p> 0.05). We found a strong association with genotype
A/(−) at rs3764880 with susceptibility to pulmonary TB in males (OR 2.87,
95%CI 1.38–5.98, p=0.007). Conclusions: Our results provide
evidence, for the first time, of a role for the TLR8 gene in susceptibility to
pulmonary TB in male children. Additional research to verify our results are
necessary. Tuberculosis in children presents particularly difficult challenges,
but research priorities and advances in pediatric tuberculosis could provide
wider insights and opportunities for tuberculosis control.
Keywords: Children, pulmonary tuberculosis, single nucleotide polymorphism, Toll-like receptor 8
