The issue of whether Toll-like receptor 8 puts one at an increased risk of contracting Pulmonary Tuberculosis is an important topic following the high incidences of pulmonary tuberculosis infections and the increase in the reports of multi-drug resistant TB amongst populations worldwide. Similarly, it is important as it is likely to provide direction into ascertaining the reasons behind differential immunity, primarily as concerns carriers of the disease. From this topic, Davila et al. (2008) see the hope of finding a virus. This issue also makes a controversial topic primarily since TLRs are naturally occurring immune-boosting substances in the human body, and TLR8 is just one of them; hence it is expected to positively boost immunity rather than weaken it (Faridgohar & Nikoueinejad, 2017). The argument of this paper is inclined towards the belief that TLR8 could be responsible for one’s susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis. This opinion is backed up by the fact that all TLRs are prone to defects and polymorphisms which increase the body’s risk to TB infection ().
The primary evidence to the thesis of this paper is based on the findings that TLR8 has undergone many polymorphisms, which altogether alter the genetic makeup of TLR8, hence affecting its ability to produce immune action (Salimi, 2015). Similarly, a research conducted by Salie et al. (2015) report differential associations between the TLR8 gene and susceptibility to TB in both and female patients. Faridgohar & Nikoueinejad (2017) also report increased levels of TLR8 in the acute stages of pulmonary tuberculosis, and that implies that the load is directly proportional to the severity of the infection.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Several studies have reported a linkage between TLR8 and PTB, including one conducted by Faridgohar and Nikoueinejad (2017). Faridgohar and Nikoueinejad (2017), in their report also ascertain the link between the polymorphisms of TLR genes and susceptibility to TB infection. They particularly report sex-specific effects on the polymorphisms of TLR8.
References
Davila, S., Hibberd, M. L., Dass, R. H., Wong, H. E., Sahiratmadja, E., Bonnard, C., ... & van Crevel, R. (2008). Genetic association and expression studies indicate a role of toll-like receptor 8 in pulmonary tuberculosis. PLoS Genetics , 4 (10), e1000218.
Faridgohar, M., & Nikoueinejad, H. (2017). New findings of Toll-like receptors involved in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Pathogens and global health , 111 (5), 256-264.
Salie, M., Daya, M., Lucas, L. A., Warren, R. M., van der Spuy, G. D., van Helden, P. D., ... & Möller, M. (2015). Association of toll-like receptors with susceptibility to tuberculosis suggests sex-specific effects of TLR8 polymorphisms. Infection, Genetics and Evolution , 34 , 221-229.
Salimi, S. (2015). TLR8 and TLR9 Polymorphisms and Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Gene, Cell and Tissue , 2 (3).
