TLR4 Polymorphisms and Risk of Skin Cancer

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a key role in the innate immune system. Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) in particular, appears to play a role in susceptibility to cancer. Of 44 identified SNPs (small nucleotide polymorphisms) in TLR4, the most common is an A-G substitution at nucleotide position +896, downstream of the cDNA start codon, a missense mutation which leads to an amino acid substitution Asp299Gly in the third exon of the TLR4 gene. Pre-clinical studies from our laboratory have shown an association of TLR4 with ultraviolet radiation induced skin cancer. Hence, in this study we will assess the pattern of TLR4 polymorphisms and susceptibility to skin cancer.