title: Relationship between expression of toll-like receptors 2/4 in dendritic cells and chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is to explore the relationship between the chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the expressions of toll-like receptor 2/4 (TLR2/4) in peripheral blood dendritic cells (DCs), to find out the immunological significance of TLR2/4 in HBV progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients had been divided into the HBV, HBV-related liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC), and HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) groups. Healthy individuals served as normal controls (NC). Flow cytometry was used to determine the percentage of DCs in peripheral blood, and the expression of TLR2/4 in DCs as well as the expression of HBeAg. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to measure the content of HBV-DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentages of DCs in peripheral blood exhibited a slightly decreasing trend, without statistical significances, along with the disease severity in HBV patients (9.40 ± 2.05%, 7.11 ± 3.82%, 6.51 ± 4.38% and 6.00 ± 4.73% for the groups of NC, HBV, HBV-LC, and HBV-HCC, respectively). The expression of TLR2 was significantly increased in the disease progression, with the TLR2 expression rates of 2.60 ± 1.70%, 2.67 ± 2.89%, 3.53 ± 3.41% and 5.11 ± 4.93 for NC, HBV, HBV-LC, HBV-HCC, respectively. Similar results were found for TLR4 (expression rates: 45.34 ± 4.46%, 53.94 ± 5.21%, 65.16 ± 5.92% and 75.54 ± 6.12%), which was positively correlated with TLR2. Furthermore, the HBeAg level was increased, while the amount of HBV-DNA exhibited a declining trend, along with the disease severity. Correlation analysis revealed that the expression of HBeAg was positively correlated with TLR2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The elevated expressions of TLR2/4 on DC cell surfaces in peripheral blood may synergistically promote the disease progression of chronic HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The First affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The First affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Xianyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Xiuming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The First affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Fengbo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200025, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The First affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Yuexin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Jianbing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000097:blood*; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; C495342:TLR2 protein, human; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4
keywords: Hepatitis B virus; chronic infection; dendritic cells; toll-like receptors 2/4