Tuberculosis (TB) affects human life globally for a long time. The difference in clinical outcome of
infection suggests that host genetic makeup is responsible for such variability. Toll like receptors (TLRs)
are pattern recognition receptors and have a significant role in mycobacterial recognition by the innate
immune system. TLR-4 is the key receptor in initiation of innate immunity against M. tuberculosis. This
study investigated whether variants in TLR-4 896A/G (Asp299Gly) and TLR-4 1196C/T (Thr399Ile) genes
are related with susceptibility or resistance to pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in Saudi population.
Genotyping of TLR-4 896A/G, TLR-4 1196C/T gene was performed by polymerase chain reaction followed
by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR –RFLP) in 60 PTB patients and 60 control subjects.
The A allele at (896A/G) was more frequent in the control group while G allele was more common in PTB
patients. The frequency of T allele of (1196C/T) polymorphism was significantly increased in PTB patients
as compared to the control group (P