TLR4 and NOD2/CARD15 genetic polymorphisms and their possible role in gastric carcinogenesis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of TLR4 and NOD2/CARD15 genes in gastric carcinogenesis.We investigated the allelic frequencies of TLR4 (D299G and T399I) and NOD2/CARD15 (R702W, G908R, and L1007finsC) SNPs in 87 asymptomatic serologically H. pylori-positive individuals (Group I), in 63 patients with antrum-predominant gastritis (Group II) and in 60 patients with corpus-predominant gastritis or pangastritis (Group III).There was significant difference in allelic frequencies of TLR4 D299G SNP in Group II (p=0.02; OR 2.97) as well as in Group III (p=0.001; OR 4.80). Significant difference of T399I SNP allele frequency was only found in Group III (p=0.009; OR 3.73). The allele frequencies of NOD2/CARD15 G908R and of L1007insC SNP were higher in Group III (p=0.003, OR 5.18; p=0.03; OR 3.66, respectively).TLR4 and NOD2/CARD15 genes are associated with high risk Group III patients and, therefore, they appear to play a role in gastric carcinogenesis.