Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 5, 2025
A Method to Study the C924T Polymorphism of the Thromboxane A2 Receptor Gene
Published on: April 1, 2019
The Arg753Gln Polymorphism of Toll-Like Receptor 2 Has a Lower Occurrence in Patients with Syphilis, Suggesting Its
Linda Grillová1, Jana Musilová1, Klára Janečková1
1Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
Abstract:
Syphilis is a bacterial infection caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum Infection with T. pallidum subsp. pallidum and its dissemination lead to the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines triggered by the interaction of bacterial lipoproteins with Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). TLR2 contains several nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms that may impact the activation of its signaling cascade and alter the responsiveness to, or the course of, various infectious diseases, including those caused by pathogenic spirochetes. To investigate whether TLR2 polymorphism may influence susceptibility to syphilis, 221 healthy individuals with no history of syphilis (controls) and 137 patients diagnosed with syphilis (cases) were screened for the presence of the Arg753Gln polymorphism in the TLR2 gene (2258G→A; rs5743708). The Arg753Gln variant occurs at a significantly lower frequency in syphilis patients (4 of 137 [3%]) than in controls (24 of 221 [10.9%]). These data suggest that TLR2 Arg753Gln may protect from the development of syphilis due to reduced signaling.
Insights
A specific gene variant, Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) Arg753Gln, was found less frequently in syphilis patients. This suggests the TLR2 Arg753Gln polymorphism may offer protection against developing syphilis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Genetics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Syphilis, caused by *Treponema pallidum* subsp. *pallidum*, triggers proinflammatory cytokines via bacterial lipoproteins interacting with Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2).
- Nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms in TLR2 can affect signaling pathways, potentially influencing susceptibility to infections like syphilis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the TLR2 Arg753Gln polymorphism and susceptibility to syphilis.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted involving 137 syphilis patients and 221 healthy controls.
- The frequency of the Arg753Gln polymorphism (2258G→A; rs5743708) in the TLR2 gene was determined in both groups.
Main Results:
- The Arg753Gln variant was found at a significantly lower frequency in syphilis patients (3%) compared to controls (10.9%).
Conclusions:
- The TLR2 Arg753Gln polymorphism may confer a protective effect against the development of syphilis, potentially due to reduced TLR2 signaling.
More Related Videos
10:37Cultivation Methods of Spirochetes from Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Complex and Relapsing Fever Borrelia
Published on: November 25, 2022
07:26High-resolution Melting PCR for Complement Receptor 1 Length Polymorphism Genotyping: An Innovative Tool for Alzheimer's Disease Gene Susceptibility Assessment
Published on: July 18, 2017
