Expression of AIM2 is correlated with increased inflammation in chronic hepatitis B patients.
BACKGROUND
The absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), a cytosolic dsDNA inflammasome, can be activated by viral DNA to trigger caspase-1. Its role in immunopathology of chronic hepatitis B and C virus (HBV, HCV) infection is still largely unclear. In this study, the expression AIM2, and its downstream cytokines, caspase-1, IL-18 and IL-1β, in liver tissue of patients with chronic hepatitis B and C (CHB, CHC) were investigated.


METHODS
A total of 70 patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis were enrolled, including 47 patients with CHB and 23 patients with CHC. A liver biopsy was taken from each patient, and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of AIM2 and inflammatory factors caspase-1, IL-18, and IL-1β in the biopsy specimens. The relationship between AIM2 expression and these inflammatory factors was analyzed.


RESULTS
The expression of AIM2 in CHB patients (89.4 %) was significantly higher than in CHC patients (8.7 %), and among the CHB patients, the expression of AIM2 was significantly higher in the high HBV replication group (HBV DNA ≥ 1 × 10(5)copies/mL) than in the low HBV replication group (HBV DNA < 1 × 10(5)copies/mL). The expression of AIM2 was also correlated with HBV-associated inflammatory activity in CHB patients statistically. Additionally, AIM2 levels were positively correlated with the expression of caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 in CHB patients, which implied that the AIM2 expression is directly correlated with the inflammatory activity associated with CHB.


CONCLUSIONS
AIM2 upregulation may be a component of HBV immunopathology. The underlying mechanism and possible signal pathway warrant further study.
Deparment of Pharmacy, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. qiluhyt@sina.com.
Yongtao
Y
Han
Digestive Department, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. zipingchen@126.com.
Ziping
Z
Chen
Department of Infectious Disease, Hospital of Laiwu Affiliated to Taishan Medical College, Laiwu, China. 972533472@qq.com.
Ruiping
R
Hou
Digestive Department, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. daojieyan@126.com.
Daojie
D
Yan
Digestive Department, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. changhongliu@126.com.
Changhong
C
Liu
Department of Liver Disease, Jinan Infectious Disease Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. csj7516@sina.com.
Shijun
S
Chen
Center of Translational Medicine, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150086, China. xiaoboli@126.com.
Xiaobo
X
Li
Digestive Department, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. crbdwj@126.com.|Digestive Department, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jingshi Road 16766#, Jinan, 250014, China. crbdwj@126.com.
Wenjun
W
Du
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000473:pathology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
C410167:AIM2 protein, human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins