title: TLR2-TLR4/CD14 polymorphisms and predisposition to severe invasive infections by Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are major causes of severe invasive bacterial infections in some individuals. Apparently the genetic is a major susceptibility determinant to these infectious diseases. We study if the functional polymorphisms within genes of the innate immune system (TLR2-TLR4 and CD14) are related to the predisposition to severe invasive infections caused by S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective descriptive study. Sixty-six Caucasian healthy children and 173 consecutive Caucasian children with invasive bacterial infections by N. meningitidis (n=59) and S. pneumoniae (n=114) were enrolled between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010. All blood samples were genotyped with description of the coding polymorphisms in p.R753Q of TLR2 gene and p.D299G of TLR4 gene as well as the promotor polymorphism c.-159C>T of the CD14 gene.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the controls the p.753Q allele of TLR2 and the allele c.-159T of CD14 were more frequent in patients with S. pneumoniae (p<0.0001 and p=0.0167) and meningococcal infections (p=0.0003 and p=0.0276 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Genetical variations in the innate immune system by polymorphisms in the TLR2 and CD14, could be related with an increases susceptibility to severe invasive infections by S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis.
authors.affiliation: Medicine Faculty, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Tellería-Orriols
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Critical Care Unit, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: citopensis@yahoo.es.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Salido
authors.affiliation: Medicine Faculty, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Varillas
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Critical Care Unit, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serrano-González
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Critical Care Unit, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casado-Flores
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000235:genetics*; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4
keywords: Bacterial infections; Infecciones bacterianas; Neisseria meningitidis; Polimorfismos; Polymorphisms; Streptococcus pneumoniae