Characterization and investigation of single nucleotide polymorphisms and a novel TLR2 mutation in the human TLR2 gene.

In the innate immune system, TLR2 plays a central role for the response to a wide variety of microbial and endogenous danger signals. A considerable number of genetic polymorphisms within the human TLR2 gene have been reported in non-coding and coding sequences. Except for the Arg753Gln variant, however, their clinical relevance is unclear and the assessment of the effects of amino acid substitutions on receptor function is lacking.

Characterization and functional investigation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human TLR5 gene.

Toll-like receptors recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and TLR5 is the pathogen recognition receptor (PRR) for bacterial flagellin. Patients carrying a R392 stop polymorphism display an inflammatory phenotype and increased susceptibility to pneumonia caused by the flagellated bacteria Legionella pneumophila. While this suggests that TLR5 mutations may be clinically relevant, functional data are not available for the majority of the other TLR5 polymorphisms.

T25 repeat in the 3' untranslated region of the CASP2 gene: a sensitive and specific marker for microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer.

DNA mismatch repair deficiency is observed in about 10% to 15% of all colorectal carcinomas and in up to 90% of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) patients. Tumors with mismatch repair defects acquire mutations in short repetitive DNA sequences, a phenomenon termed high-level microsatellite instability (MSI-H). The diagnosis of MSI-H in colon cancer is of increasing relevance, because MSI-H is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer, seems to influence the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy, and is the most important molecular screening tool to identify HNPCC patients.