Lack of association between the microsatellite polymorphism in intron 2 of human Toll-like receptor 2 gene and bronchiectasis among Koreans.
OBJECTIVE
The genetic factors for the development of bronchiectasis are not well understood in most patients. The aim of this study was to elucidate the possible association between bronchiectasis and guanine-thymine (GT) repeat polymorphism in intron 2 of the human Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), which has a crucial role in adaptive as well as innate immunity.


METHODS
A total of 194 patients with bronchiectasis and the same number of age- and gender-matched healthy blood donors were prospectively enrolled. The numbers of GT repeats were determined by PCR and gene scans. For further analysis, the alleles were classified into three subclasses: 12-16 GT repeats, short alleles (S allele); 17-22 repeats, medium-length alleles (M allele); and 23-27 repeats, long alleles (L allele).


RESULTS
The overall distribution of alleles was not different between patient and control groups (P = 0.71). In addition, the frequencies of genotypes including short alleles were not different between patient and control groups (P = 0.92). Extent of bronchiectasis (P = 0.92) and bacterial colonization (P = 0.48) were not associated with any subclass genotype.


CONCLUSIONS
Alleles and genotype including the shorter GT repeats in intron 2 of the TLR2, were not associated with the development, extent and bacterial colonization of bronchiectasis in Koreans.
Kim
Hee Joung
HJ
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, and Lung Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Lee
Hye Won
HW
Lee
Ji Eun
JE
Joh
Joon Sung
JS
Han
Sung Koo
SK
Shim
Young-Soo
YS
Yim
Jae-Joon
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics*; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000235:genetics*
D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2