TLR9-1486C/T polymorphism is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver transplantation.

Aim: To determine whether TLR9 polymorphisms are associated with tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients & methods: All patients who underwent liver transplantation, and had viable HCC in the explanted liver were included. TLR9-1237C/T and -1486C/T polymorphisms were analyzed by real-time PCR and melting curves analysis. Results: 20 of 159 patients (12.6%) developed post-transplant HCC recurrence. Tumors exceeding Milan criteria, moderately-to-poorly differentiated tumors and microvascular invasion on explants, and pretransplant α-fetoprotein level (all p < 0.01) were associated with an increased risk, while TLR9-1486TT genotype was associated with a decreased risk of HCC recurrence (p = 0.03). Conclusion: TLR9-1486C/T might help to preoperatively identify patients at low risk of post-transplant HCC recurrence.