Polymorphism of TLR 5 rs5744174 is associated with disease progression in Chinese patients with chronic HBV infection

Toll‐like receptors ( TLR s) play a crucial role in innate and adaptive immunity, protecting the host from viral pathogens. Studies have implicated that TLR 5 is associated with various diseases such as autoimmune and inflammation related diseases. However, little is known about the relationship between TLR 5 and hepatitis B virus ( HBV ) infection. We studied the effect of TLR 5 gene polymorphisms on susceptibility to and disease progression of chronic hepatitis B ( CHB ) infection in Chinese. Blood samples were taken from 636 patients with CHB , HBV ‐related liver cirrhosis ( LC ) or hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) and 273 controls. Polymorphisms of TLR 5 (1775A>G rs2072493 and 1846T>C rs5744174) were analyzed by PCR ‐based sequencing. No difference in genotypic and allelic frequencies of TLR 5 rs2072493 and rs5744174 was observed between patients and controls. Significant difference was found in frequency of TLR 5 rs5744174 TT genotype between men with CHB and LC (p = 0.035). Frequency of TT genotype of TLR 5 rs5744174 in patients positive for HB eAg was increased from 53.2% in patients with CHB to 74.1% in those with HCC (p = 0.024). Our results indicate that in Chinese genetic variation of TLR 5 may be not a determinant of susceptibility to HBV ‐related diseases but may play a role in development of HBV ‐related severe liver diseases.