title: Hepatic expression of toll-like receptor 4 in primary biliary cirrhosis.
abstract: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a receptor for bacterial lipopolysaccharide, which is suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of disease of hepatobiliary tracts. To explore a possible role for this receptor in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), we investigated the expression of TLR4 in liver tissues from PBC patients. We studied liver biopsy sections from 62 PBC patients and 41 patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Expression of TLR4 in paraffin-embedded sections was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The bile duct epithelial cells (BECs) of PBC liver tissues markedly expressed TLR4, whereas BECs of CHC liver tissues barely expressed TLR4. The TLR4 expression was also observed in periportal hepatocytes of PBC liver tissues and its expression was extended to interlobular hepatocytes in advanced stage PBC. Although periportal hepatocytes of CHC liver tissues expressed TLR4, its expression levels were not correlated with the fibrosis stage. Our data demonstrated that TLR4 was expressed in BECs and periportal hepatocytes in PBC livers, suggesting the possible involvement of bacterial pathogens and TLR4 in the inflammatory processes of PBC.
authors: Clinical Research Center, National Hospital Organization (NHO) Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors: Ai-Ping
authors: AP
authors: Wang
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Migita
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Ito
authors: Yasushi
authors: Y
authors: Takii
authors: Manabu
authors: M
authors: Daikoku
authors: Terufumi
authors: T
authors: Yokoyama
authors: Atsumasa
authors: A
authors: Komori
authors: Minoru
authors: M
authors: Nakamura
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Yatsuhashi
authors: Hiromi
authors: H
authors: Ishibashi
mesh_terms: D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors