Background: Laryngeal carcinoma induce immune system suppression in tumour micro environments with unknown mechanism. Toll like receptors (TLRs) are important molecules which play a critical role in the management and induction of immune responses. In this regard, the importance and the role of TLR 2, 4 and 9 have not been studied together in laryngeal cancer. The present study aims to evaluate the expression level of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 in patients with laryngeal carcinoma.

Materials and Methods: 89 tumour samples and 35 tumour-free tissues were obtained from laryngeal carcinoma male patients and the expression level of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 was analysed using Real-time PCR method.

Results: The expression level of TLR2 was increased as the result of increasing lymph node involvement, pretumoral involvement and regional metastasis. Also, the TLR4 gene expression levels were increased 1.5 fold in patients with lymph node involvement. The expression Level of TLR9 was increased by increasing stage and primary tumour involvement. The expression pattern of TLR2 and TLR4 in tumour and tumour-free tissues was the same, while TLR9 gene expressions show higher level in tumour tissues than its normal tissue. None of our findings were statistical significant.

Conclusion: we have shown that the expression status of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 in patients with laryngeal cancer was correlated with their clinicopathologic features. Additionally, the expression level of TLRs in cancerous and non-cancerous tissues shows no significant changes.