Evaluation of Serum Toll-Like Receptor 9 (TLR9) Levels Among Iraqi Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

This study aimed to evaluate serum levels of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) in Iraqi patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to compare them with healthy controls. A total of 45 T2DM patients and 35 healthy individuals were enrolled. Serum TLR9 levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique.

The mean TLR9 concentration was significantly lower in T2DM patients (173.75 ± 8.52 ng/mL) compared to healthy controls (270.79 ± 20.61 ng/mL) (P < 0.00001). When analyzed by gender, male diabetic patients had higher levels than females (189.09 ± 11.45 vs. 159.09 ± 12.03 ng/mL, P = 0.0391). However, both sexes in the diabetic group had significantly lower levels compared to the healthy group. No significant difference was observed between males and females in the control group.

These findings suggest that reduced serum TLR9 levels are associated with T2DM and may reflect an immune-inflammatory imbalance that contributes to disease pathogenesis.