title: Toll like receptor-4 896A/G gene variation, a risk factor for migraine headaches.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathogenesis of migraine involves immune-mediated mechanisms in the vascular endothelium. Toll like receptor 4 (TLR-4) is a signaling receptor of innate immunity which plays a role in various neuropathologies related to neuron inflammation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This case/control study is aimed to investigate whether TLR-4 896A/G variation is related to migraine headaches in an Iranian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 170 migraine patients (130 females, mean age 33.24 ± 11 years) and 170 age, sex, and ethnicity matched healthy controls (118 females, mean age of 31 ± 10 years) were recruited. Genotyping was carried out using the tetra primer amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of G allele was higher in migraine patients than the controls (15% vs. 4.7%; p<0.0001). Interestingly, the distribution of heterozygous 896A/G genotype statistically differed between migraineurs and controls (25.3% vs. 8.2%, p=0.00002, OR 3.87, 95% CI; 2.02-7.4). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that G allele in affected female migraineurs is an independent factor associated with increased risk of migraine (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.23-8.24, p=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed TLR-4 polymorphism as a genetic risk factor for migraine. However, further studies in different populations are required to elucidate the precise role of TLR-4 896A/G mutation in susceptibility to migraine.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Ward, Department of Internal Medicine, Buali Hospital, Sari, Iran, e-mail: abedinm20@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rafiei
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abedini
authors.forename: Seyed Hamzeh
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hosseini-Khah
authors.forename: Behrouz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bazrafshan
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tehrani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D020078:Neurogenic Inflammation / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000235:genetics*; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4