title: Evaluation of NLRC4, NLRP1, and NLRP3, as Components of Inflammasomes, in Chronic Hepatitis B Virus-Infected Patients.
abstract: Nucleotide-binding domain leucine repeats (NLRs) are required for the recognition of various molecules that are expressed within microbes and are able to actuate appropriate immune responses via activation of cytokines. The current study evaluates the expression levels of NLRP1 and NLRC4, which are components of inflammasomes, in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus-infected patients. This study recruited two series of CHB patients (each contained 60 patients) and 60 healthy controls. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to evaluate mRNA expression levels of NLRP1, NLRP3, and NLRC4 as well as hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA copy number. Serum levels of liver markers were also used to evaluate the patients. Hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were also examined in all patients to evaluate infection. The data showed that expression levels of NLRC4 and NLRP1 were not significantly different in circulating monocytes of CHB patients when compared with those of healthy controls. Furthermore, the data indicate that mRNA levels of NLRP1, NLRP3, and NLRC4 were also not altered in CHB patients regardless of HBV-DNA copy numbers/mL and HBeAg status. The data revealed that mRNA expression levels of NLRP1 and NLRC4 were not altered in CHB patients, suggesting that these genes are not responsible for the impaired immune responses against HBV observed in these patients.
authors.affiliation: 1 Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences , Rafsanjan, Iran .
authors.forename: Azadeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Askari
authors.affiliation: 1 Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences , Rafsanjan, Iran .|2 Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences , Rafsanjan, Iran .
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nosratabadi
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman, Iran .
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khaleghinia
authors.affiliation: 1 Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences , Rafsanjan, Iran .
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zainodini
authors.affiliation: 4 School of Natural Sciences, Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University Nathan , Queensland, Australia .
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: 1 Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences , Rafsanjan, Iran .|5 Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences , Rafsanjan, Iran .
authors.forename: Ziba
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shabani
authors.affiliation: 1 Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences , Rafsanjan, Iran .|6 Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Paramedicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences , Rafsanjan, Iran .
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kazemi Arababadi
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D000070576:NLR Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D058847:Inflammasomes; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; D000070576:NLR Proteins; C435692:NLRC4 protein, human; C427903:NLRP1 protein, human; C453881:NLRP3 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin
keywords: NLRC4; NLRP1; NLRP3 PRR; NLRs; chronic HBV infection; inflammasome