The meta-analysis showed no association between the two alleles of the rs352140, rs5743836, and rs352139 polymorphisms of TLR9 and SLE, but indicated an association between the two alleles of the rs187084 polymorphism (TLR9) and SLE in the overall population (OR = 0.869, 95% CI = 0.762-0.992, P = 0.038).
However, for the genotype of TLR9 -1486 T/C (rs187084) polymorphism, there was a statistically significant difference between the SLE and the control groups (P < 0.001, χ(2) = 15.9).
Furthermore, no association was found between the rs5744168 (TLR5) polymorphism and SLE susceptibility in Europeans or between the rs187084 (TLR8) or rs352140 (TLR9) polymorphisms and SLE susceptibility in Asians.
When available studies were pooled into the meta-analysis, there was no evidence showing a significant association between rs187084 and SLE risk in an Asian population (for C vs. T: OR = 0.81, P = 0.117; for CC vs. TT: OR = 0.71, P = 0.158; for CT vs. TT: OR = 0.86, P = 0.085; for CC + CT vs. TT: OR = 0.78, P = 0.093; for CC vs. CT + TT: OR = 0.81, P = 0.285).