Toll-Like Receptor 4 And Cd14 Polymorphisms In Ankylosing Spondylitis: Evidence Of A Weak Association In Finns

Objective. To investigate the association of CD14 and Toll-like receptor (TLR4) with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).Methods. A promoter variant in CD14 and 2 coding polymorphisms in TLR4 were investigated in UK and Finnish families with AS and in a UK case-control study. A metaanalysis of published TLR4 and CD14 studies was performed.Results. In the Finnish study the CD14-260bp T variant showed an association (p = 0.006), and the common 2-marker TLR4 haplotype showed a weak association (global p = 0.03), with AS. No associations were seen in the UK based studies or in the metaanalyses.Conclusion. CD14 and TLR4 showed an association with AS in the Firms only.