Association of Toll-like receptor polymorphism and gene expression level with the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its severity

Aim . Determine the influence of genetic factors of innate immunity on the risk of development and severity of COPD. Materials and methods . The study included 103 patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 47 conditionally healthy people without any chronic bronchopulmonary pathologies. The expression level of TLR genes and alleles of rs5743551 ( TLR1 ), rs5743708 ( TLR2 ), rs3804100 ( TLR2 ), rs3806790 ( TLR4 ), rs5743810 ( TLR6 ), rs3804880 ( TLR8 ) single nucleotide polymorphisms were analyzed via real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results . Several tendencies were observed: an increase in the proportion of GG homozygotes in the rs5743810 ( TLR6 ) locus in patients with severe COPD and a negative correlation between TLR2 and TLR6 genes expression level and oxygen saturation in blood, dyspnea and COPD severity. Conclusion . No statistically significant association with rs5743551 ( TLR1 ), rs5743708 ( TLR2 ), rs3804100 ( TLR2 ), rs4986790 ( TLR4 ), rs5743810 ( TLR6 ), rs3764880 ( TLR8 ) single nucleotide polymorphisms was found. The observed tendency of the TLR gene expression level increase may be associated with the remodeling of lung tissues and activation of the immune response that occur during COPD.