Association of TLR4 and TNF-α Gene Polymorphisms and TLR4 mRNA Levels in Preterm Birth in a Northern Indian Population

Abstract

Objective: To assess the association of TLR4 (rs4986790 and rs4986791) and TNF-α (rs1800629) genes polymorphisms and TLR4mRNA levels with preterm birth. Methods: Hospital-based case-control study on women of Caucasoid morphological subtype ethnicity in Northern India. Inclusion criteria for cases: women aged between 18–40 years with preterm birth (<37 weeks gestation), and for controls: women who delivered a term neonate consecutive to an enrolled case. Three polymorphisms TLR4 (Asp299 Gly, Thr399 Ill) and TNF-á (-308G/A) and TLR4 mRNA levels were compared between cases and controls. Results: From 2012–2015, 559 cases and 559 controls were recruited. TLR4 mRNA levels were found to be higher (P<0.001) in cases [(0.7 (0.04)] than in controls [(0.5 (0.04)]. No association was found between TLR4 Asp299 Gly, TLR4 Thr399 Ill and TNF-α (-308G/A) with preterm birth. Conclusion: Increased TLR4 mRNA levels seem to be associated with preterm birth, and can be investigated further as a potential biomarker for identifying women at risk.