Functional polymorphisms in LPS receptors CD14 and TLR4 are not associated with disease susceptibility or Campylobacter jejuni infection in Guillain-Barre patients

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an acute immune-mediated polyneuropathy preceded by infections. Campylobacter jejuni is the most frequent pathogen and its lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces antibodies cross-reactive with gangliosides. In this study we assessed whether known functional polyrnorphisms in the LPS receptors CD14 and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) are associated with an increased susceptibility for GBS or with C. jejuni serology or C. jejuni related clinical and serological features. Comparison of the genotypes of 242 GBS patients and 210 healthy subjects showed that polymorphisms in CD14 and TLR4 did not confer disease susceptibility and were not associated with C. jejuni infection. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.