OBJECTIVETo study the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNP) in toll-like receptors (TLR) 2 and 5 genes and the susceptibility to neonatal sepsis.

METHODSOne hundred and fourteen newborn infants who were diagnosed with clinical sepsis (case group) between May 2011 and January 2014 and 172 newborn infants without infection(control group) were enrolled in this study. The polymorphisms of TLR2 (rs5743708 and rs3804099) and TLR5 (rs5744105) were analyzed using a SNaPshot multiplex reaction to compare the genotypic and allelic frequencies between two groups. The relationship between TLR genotypes and susceptibility to sepsis was analyzed by logistic regression models.

RESULTSSignificant differences in genotypic frequencies of TLR2 rs3804099 (C/T) and TLR5 rs5744105 (C/G) were found between the two groups (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in allelic frequencies of all the SNPs above between the two groups (P>0.05). The genotype on TLR2 rs5743708 was GG and no mutation was found in both groups. In regression models, birth weight (OR=3.065; P<0.05) and gestational age (OR=3.301; P<0.05) were closely associated with neonatal sepsis. Sex (OR=1.107, P>0.05), polymorphisms in rs3804099 (OR=0.876; P>0.05) and polymorphisms in rs5744105 (OR=0.820; P>0.05) genes were not risk factors for neonatal sepsis.

CONCLUSIONSTLR2 and 5 polymorphisms (rs5743708, rs3804099 and rs5744105) may not serve as the susceptible gene for sepsis in newborn infants.