Impact of Toll-Like Receptor 2 and 9 Gene Polymorphisms on COVID-19: Susceptibility, Severity, and Thrombosis
Alshaymaa M. Alhabibi, Asmaa S. Hassan, Nashwa Mohamed Abd Elbaky, Hoda A. Eid, Mohie Aldeen Abd Alzaher Khalifa, Maisa A. Abdel Wahab, Azza Ali Althoqapy, Aml E. Abdou, Doaa Mohammed Zakaria, Eman Mostafa Nassef, Sammar Ahmed Kasim, Ola I. Saleh, Asmaa Abdelghany Elsheikh, Mahmoud Lotfy, Alaa H. Sayed
Abstract
Background: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in activation of innate and adaptive immune responses. Aim: We aimed to detect the association between TLR2 rs5743708 G>A and TLR9 rs5743836 C>T variants and COVID-19 disease susceptibility, severity, and thrombosis by using neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Subjects and Methods: We included 100 adult COVID-19 patients as well as 100 age- and gender-matched normal controls. Participants were genotyped for TLR2 rs5743708 and TLR9 rs5743836. Citrullinated Histone (H3) was detected as an indicator of NETs. Results: The mutant (G/A and C/C) genotypes and (A and C) alleles of TLR2 rs5743708 and TLR9 rs5743836, respectively, have been significantly related to a higher risk of COVID-19 infection, representing a significant risk factor for the severity of COVID-19. There was no significant association between the two variants and citrullinated histone (H3). Conclusion: TLR2 rs5743708 and TLR9 rs5743836 variants have been significantly related to a higher risk and severity of COVID-19 infection but had no effect on thrombus formation.