Differential expression of viral PAMP receptors mRNA in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.
BACKGROUND
Pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP) receptors play a key role in the early host response to viruses. In this work, we determined mRNA levels of two members of the Toll-like Receptors family, (TLR3 and TLR7) and the helicase RIG-I, all of three recognizing viral RNA products, in peripheral blood of healthy donors and hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, to observe if their transcripts are altered in this disease.


METHODS
IFN-alpha, TLR3, TLR7 and RIG-I levels in peripheral blood from healthy controls (n = 18) and chronic HCV patients (n = 18) were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Our results show that IFN-alpha, TLR3, TLR7 and RIG-I mRNA levels are significantly down-regulated in patients with chronic HCV infection when compared with healthy controls. We also found that the measured levels of TLR3 and TLR7, but not RIG-I, correlated significantly with those of IFN-alpha


CONCLUSIONS
Monitoring the expression of RNA-sensing receptors like TLR3, TLR7 and RIG-I during the different clinical stages of infection could bring a new source of data about the prognosis of disease.
Atencia
Rafael
R
Laboratorio de Inmunología, Hospital de Cruces, Barakaldo, Vizcaya, Spain. ratencia@eitd.net
Bustamante
Francisco J
FJ
Valdivieso
Andrés
A
Arrieta
Arantza
A
Riñón
Marta
M
Prada
Alvaro
A
Maruri
Natalia
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000071457:DEAD Box Protein 58; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D051192:Receptors, Pattern Recognition; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7; C452820:RIGI protein, human; D000071457:DEAD Box Protein 58; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases