title: Differential expression of toll-like receptors in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is poorly understood. One contributory factor may be low-grade mucosal inflammation, perhaps initiated by the microbiota. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of pathogen-recognition receptors of the innate immune system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential involvement of TLRs in IBS to further understand the involvement of the innate immune system in this complex disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of TLRs was investigated in colonic biopsy samples obtained from 26 IBS patients and compared with 19 healthy controls. Protein expression of TLR4, TLR7, and TLR8 was confirmed by immunofluorescence and alterations in the TLR4 protein were confirmed by western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR showed increased levels of TLR4 (P≤0.001) and TLR5 (P=0.0013) and decreased levels of TLR7 (P≤0.001) and TLR8 (P=0.0019) in IBS patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support the presence of an immune engagement between the microbiota and the host in IBS; an interaction that involves innate immunity and could generate a low-grade inflammatory response. These findings could also offer an additional biomarker of the disease or a disease subset.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, and Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland. e.brint@ucc.ie
authors.forename: Elizabeth K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Brint
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: MacSharry
authors.forename: Aine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fanning
authors.forename: Fergus
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shanahan
authors.forename: Eamonn M M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Quigley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001706:Biopsy; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051193:Toll-Like Receptors