title: Modulation of TLR 3, 7 and 8 expressions in HCV genotype 3 infected individuals: potential correlations of pathogenesis and spontaneous clearance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C virus is the major cause of chronic hepatitis worldwide which finally leads to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Toll like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the course of many viral infections, but the role of TLRs in HCV pathogenesis has not been well elucidated so far.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyse the mRNA expression of TLRs 3, 7, and 8 in different stages of HCV infection including chronic, cirrhosis, interferon treated resolved, and relapsed cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total RNA from whole blood was extracted and mRNA expression of TLRs 3, 7, and 8 genes was analyzed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR using β-Actin gene as an internal control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study consisted of 100 HCV infected individuals and twenty healthy controls. TLR 3 expression was found to be significantly elevated in individuals who had spontaneously cleared the virus (p < 0.001), whereas TLR 7 was found to be 3.26 times more elevated in patients with cirrhosis of liver. In IFN induced individuals, TLR 8 expression levels were found to be 2.28-fold elevated as compared to control population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TLRs 3, 7, and 8 are prime biomarker candidates for HCV infection mRNA expression analysis which might improve current therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: I.C.M.R. Virus Unit Kolkata, ID and BG Hospital Campus, GB-4 (East Wing), 1st Floor, 57 Dr. Suresh Chandra Banerjee Road, Beliaghata, Kolkata, West Bengal 700010, India.
authors.forename: Rushna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Firdaus
authors.affiliation: I.C.M.R. Virus Unit Kolkata, ID and BG Hospital Campus, GB-4 (East Wing), 1st Floor, 57 Dr. Suresh Chandra Banerjee Road, Beliaghata, Kolkata, West Bengal 700010, India.
authors.forename: Aritra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.affiliation: I.C.M.R. Virus Unit Kolkata, ID and BG Hospital Campus, GB-4 (East Wing), 1st Floor, 57 Dr. Suresh Chandra Banerjee Road, Beliaghata, Kolkata, West Bengal 700010, India.
authors.forename: Kallol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.affiliation: I.C.M.R. Virus Unit Kolkata, ID and BG Hospital Campus, GB-4 (East Wing), 1st Floor, 57 Dr. Suresh Chandra Banerjee Road, Beliaghata, Kolkata, West Bengal 700010, India.
authors.forename: Anirban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.affiliation: I.C.M.R. Virus Unit Kolkata, ID and BG Hospital Campus, GB-4 (East Wing), 1st Floor, 57 Dr. Suresh Chandra Banerjee Road, Beliaghata, Kolkata, West Bengal 700010, India.
authors.forename: Falguni
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, AMRI Hospitals Salt Lake, JC - 16 & 17, Salt Lake City, Kolkata 700091, India.
authors.forename: Sujit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chaudhuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Gastroenterology, Eastern Command Hospital, Alipore road, Kolkata 700027, India.
authors.forename: Alok
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2987-8437
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Peerless Hospital and B.K. Roy Research Centre, Kolkata 700094, India.
authors.forename: Asokananda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Konar
authors.affiliation: I.C.M.R. Virus Unit Kolkata, ID and BG Hospital Campus, GB-4 (East Wing), 1st Floor, 57 Dr. Suresh Chandra Banerjee Road, Beliaghata, Kolkata, West Bengal 700010, India.
authors.forename: Provash Chandra
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Sadhukhan
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051200:Toll-Like Receptor 8 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495344:TLR3 protein, human; C495348:TLR7 protein, human; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7; D051200:Toll-Like Receptor 8