Potential effects of toxoplasmosis on Toll‑like receptor‑5 gene polymorphisms (rs5744168, rs2072493) in a sample of patients undergoing hemodialysis

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii; toxoplasmosis) causes latent infection that is activated in immunocompromised patients, such as in patients undergoing hemodialysis. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between TLR‑5 gene polymorphisms in a sample of patients undergoing hemodialysis who were positive for toxoplasmosis determined using quantitative‑polymerase chain reaction techniques. The present case‑control study was performed on 100 patients undergoing hemodialysis. The study included 50 seropositive patients [immunoglobulin (Ig)M and IgG] for T. gondii (group1) and a control group of 50 patients undergoing hemodialysis who were seronegative (IgM and IgG) for T. gondii (group 2). Toxoplasma antibodies were detected using ELISA, and Toll‑like receptor (TLR)‑5 gene polymorphisms (rs5744168 and rs2072493) were detected using qPCR. Group 1 included 18 patients who had a higher heterozygous genotype (GA) frequency (36%) of the TLR‑5 gene polymorphism (rs5744168) than group 2 10 (20%). However, the difference was not statistically significant (odds ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.91 to 5.54; P=0.0781). The same was true for the frequency of the mutant allele (allele A) in groups 1 and 2 (9 vs. 10%, respectively), with no significant differences (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.34 to 2.29; P=0.80). However, the frequency of the heterozygous genotype (TC) of the TLR‑5 gene polymorphism (rs2072493) remained similar in group 1 and group 2 (both 20 (40%)) with no statistically significant differences (OR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.44 to 2.22; P>0.999). The frequency of the mutant allele (allele C) appeared in both groups (group 1, 30%; group 2, 20%), exhibiting no statistically significant differences (OR, 1.71; CI, 0.89 to 3.28; P=0.1043). All these values were at the allelic level. A positive correlation was observed for rs5744168 in groups 1 and 2 with positively correlated, whereas a negative correlation was observed for rs2072493 in groups 1 and 2. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that is no statistically significant association between toxoplasmosis and mutant alleles (alleles A and C) in patients undergoing hemodialysis.