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Polymorphisms in Toll-like receptors-2 and -4 are not associated with disease manifestations in acute Q fever

Genes & Immunity volume 8, pages 699–702 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Coxiella burnetii is a macrophage-tropic, Gram-negative organism, which causes acute Q fever infection in humans. This zoonotic infection causes illness ranging from asymptomatic seroconversion to severe and protracted disease featuring hepatitis and pneumonia. Interactions between C. burnetii lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and host Toll-like receptors (TLR)-2 and -4 have been implicated in pathogen recognition, phagocytosis and signaling responses. Nonconservative single nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding regions of TLR-2 (Arg677Trp and Arg753Gln) and TLR-4 (Asp299Gly) have been found to correlate with mycobacterial infections and Gram-negative sepsis respectively. Associations between the TLR-2 and -4 polymorphisms, illness characteristics and immune response parameters were examined in subjects with acute Q fever (n=85) and comparison subjects with viral infections (n=162). No correlation was demonstrated between these polymorphisms and susceptibility to Q fever, illness severity or illness course.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Project Grants (No.s 157092 and 157062), Meat & Livestock, Australia and by a Cooperative Research Agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA (No. U50/CCU019851–01).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Infection and Inflammation Research, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    B Everett, B Cameron, H Li, D Wakefield & A R Lloyd

  2. School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    U Vollmer-Conna

  3. The Brain and Mind Research Institute, Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    T Davenport & I Hickie

  4. Viral Exanthems and Herpesvirus Branch, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    S Vernon & W C Reeves

Authors
  1. B Everett
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  2. B Cameron
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Correspondence to A R Lloyd.

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The authors state that they have no commercial or other association which would pose a conflict of interest in this work.

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Everett, B., Cameron, B., Li, H. et al. Polymorphisms in Toll-like receptors-2 and -4 are not associated with disease manifestations in acute Q fever. Genes Immun 8, 699–702 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6364428

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