Background: Genetic polymorphisms in Toll-like receptor ( TLR ) genes have been implicated in host susceptibility to Helicobacter pylori (H pylori ) infection. However, the extent to which specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) contribute to infection risk remains unclear. This study systematically evaluates the association between several TLR gene polymorphisms ( TLR1 , TLR2 , TLR4 , TLR5 , TLR9 , and TLR10 ) and susceptibility to H pylori infection, with the aim of identifying genetic loci with significant influence. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure up to August 2024. Eligible studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria and assessed for methodological quality using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using a random-effects model in Stata 17.0. Publication bias and sensitivity analyses were performed using SPSSAU. Results: A total of 22 studies comprising 11,610 participants (6052 experimental subjects and 5558 controls) were included, which examined a total of 10 SNPs of TLR genes. Notably, the TLR 4 rs4986790 GG genotype (recessive model OR: 2.11; homozygous model OR: 1.78), the TLR 4 rs4986791 TT genotype (recessive model OR: 4.11; homozygous model OR: 5.49), and the TLR 10 rs10004195 AA genotype (recessive model OR: 1.64) were significantly associated with increased H pylori infection risk. Among these SNPs, TLR 4 rs4986791 exhibited the strongest influence. Conclusion: The findings indicate that polymorphisms in TLR 4 rs4986790, TLR 4 rs4986791, and TLR 10 rs10004195 significantly contribute to increased H pylori infection susceptibility. These genetic markers may facilitate risk stratification in healthy individuals and inform personalized health interventions based on genetic predisposition.
Xu et al. (Fri,) studied this question.