Toll-like receptor 7 and 9 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic hepatitis B and related hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLR) 7 and 9 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and related hepatocellular carcinoma.


METHODS
The study group was comprised of 52 patients: 41 with chronic hepatitis B and 11 healthy controls. The protein and mRNA levels of TLR7 and TLR9 were evaluated using real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, and flow cytometry. We also detected the serum viral load of HBV in the patients and analyzed the correlation between HBV-DNA copies and the TLR expression.


RESULTS
Our results demonstrated a lower TLR7 expression in all HBV infection groups compared to the controls. We found that HBV infection led to a decreased expression of TLR9 mRNA, but an increased expression of the TLR9 protein compared to the healthy group. The TLR protein levels are related to serum HBV-DNA (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
There are downregulations of TLR7 expression and TLR9 mRNA in PBMC of HBV-infected patients, but an increased TLR9 expression at the protein level.
Xu
Ning
N
Key Laboratory of Health Ministry, Institute of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310031, China.
Yao
Hang-ping
HP
Sun
Zhen
Z
Chen
Zhi
Z
D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9