Maternal and fetal Toll-like receptor 4 genotype and chorionic plate inflammatory lesions

The objective of the study was to explore the relation between maternal and fetal genetic variation in Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and chorionic plate inflammation

In this prospective observational cohort of 109 women with singleton gestations, 13 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in the TLR4 gene. The diagnosis of chorionic plate inflammation was made by a single blinded perinatal pathologist.

After adjustment for multiple comparisons, 1 maternal SNP (rs10759932) and 1 fetal SNP (rs1554973) in the TLR4 gene demonstrated highly significant association with chorionic plate inflammation. After adjustment for race, smoking, and bacterial vaginosis, carriage of these alleles was associated with chorionic plate inflammation (maternal rs1554973: odds ratio [OR] 5.2, 95% confidence interval, 3.2-6.4, P = .006; fetal rs10759932: OR 4.95, 95% confidence interval, 3.0-5.6, P = .005). There was no evidence of interaction between these 2 SNPs.

Maternal and fetal genetic variation in TLR4 is strongly associated with chorionic plate inflammation. This maternal and fetal genotypic effect are independent of each other as well as other environmental covariates.