title: TLR1, 2, 4, 6 and 9 Variants Associated with Tuberculosis Susceptibility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies investigating the influence of toll-like receptor (TLR) polymorphisms and tuberculosis susceptibility have yielded varying and often contradictory results in different ethnic groups. A meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between TLR variants and susceptibility to tuberculosis, both across and within specific ethnic groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  An extensive database search was performed for studies investigating the relationship between TLR and tuberculosis (TB) susceptibility. Data was subsequently extracted from included studies and statistically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  32 articles involving 18907 individuals were included in this meta-analysis, and data was extracted for 14 TLR polymorphisms. Various genetic models were employed. An increased risk of TB was found for individuals with the TLR2 rs3804100 CC and the TLR9 rs352139 GA and GG genotypes, while decreased risk was identified for those with the AG genotype of TLR1 rs4833095. The T allele of TLR6 rs5743810 conferred protection across all ethnic groups. TLR2 rs5743708 subgroup analysis identified the A allele to increase susceptibility to TB in the Asian ethnic group, while conferring protection in the Hispanic group. The T allele of TLR4 rs4986791 was also found to increase the risk of TB in the Asian subgroup. All other TLR gene variants investigated were not found to be associated with TB in this meta-analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although general associations were identified, most TLR variants showed no significant association with TB, indicating that additional studies investigating a wider range of pattern recognition receptors is required to gain a better understanding of this complex disease.
authors.affiliation: SA MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research and the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Haiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schurz
authors.affiliation: SA MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research and the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daya
authors.affiliation: SA MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research and the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Marlo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.affiliation: SA MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research and the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Eileen G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Hoal
authors.affiliation: SA MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research and the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Muneeb
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salie
mesh_terms: D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D051193:Toll-Like Receptors