Serum Toll-Like Receptor-2, Toll-Like Receptor-4 Levels in Patients with HBeAg-Negative Chronic Viral Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B Virus Envelope Antigen and Hepatitis B Virus Surface Antigen Both Contribute to the Innate Immune Response During Persistent Hepatitis B Virus Infection

This study aimed to investigate the changes of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), proinflammatory cytokine expression, hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), and hepatitis B virus envelope antigen (HBeAg) expression as well as innate immune cell percentages in a mouse model of persistent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection to better understand the innate immune response. Mouse models of persistent HBV infection, HBsAg expression, and HBeAg expression were developed using high-pressure tail-vein injection of recombinant adeno-associated viruses. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were used to determine the serum proinflammatory cytokine levels. Immunohistochemistry and western blot assays were used to detect TLR4 expression. Flow cytometric analysis was used to assess the percentage of innate immune cells in the whole blood. Persistent HBV infection, HBsAg expression, and HBeAg expression each significantly decreased the expression of TLR4. Persistent HBV infection significantly increased the percentages of T cells and monocytes, whereas it decreased the percentage of natural killer (NK) cells. Persistent HBeAg expression also decreased the percentage of NK cells, whereas persistent HBsAg expression increased the percentage of NK cells. Both persistent HBsAg and HBeAg expression increased the percentage of monocytes. However, both persistent HBsAg and HBeAg expression decreased the percentage of T cells. HBV as well as HBsAg and HBeAg showed similar effects on the expression of TLR4 and proinflammatory cytokines as well as the percentage of monocytes. Persistent HBV infection increased the percentage of T cells and decreased the percentage of NK cells, whereas only persistent HBeAg expression contributed to a decreased percentage of NK cells.

TLR2, as a Pathogen Recognition Receptor, Plays Critical Roles in Hepatitis B Outcome

The immune system of active and inactive chronic hepatitis B, as prolonged forms of hepatitis B, is unable to eradicate hepatitis B virus (HBV) from the infected hepatocytes completely. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play key roles in the viral recognition and promotion of appropriate immune responses. The molecules also participate in the alteration of the target cell functions and transformation. TLR2 is the unique molecule that makes either homodimer or heterodimer with TLR1 and 6 and shows variable roles against viral infections. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that TLR2 may participate in both immune response against HBV and induction of the virus-related hepatic complications. The studies confirm the hypothesis and revealed that TLR2 is not only one of the main molecules altering the course of HBV infection, but also plays key roles in induction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver cirrhosis. However, recent studies demonstrated that the molecule can fight against HCC and liver cirrhosis. Collectively, it appears that nutrition habits, TLR2 gene polymorphisms, gut microbiome, HBV antigens, and activation of other receptors may play key roles in the determination of TLR2 functions.

A High-Cholesterol Diet Increases Toll-like Receptors and Other Harmful Factors in the Rabbit Myocardium: The Beneficial Effect of Statins

Background: A high-cholesterol diet (HCD) induces vascular atherosclerosis through vascular inflammatory and immunological processes via TLRs. The aim of this study is to investigate the mRNA expression of TLRs and other noxious biomarkers expressing inflammation, fibrosis, apoptosis, and cardiac dysfunction in the rabbit myocardium during (a) high-cholesterol diet (HCD), (b) normal diet resumption and (c) fluvastatin or rosuvastatin treatment. Methods: Forty-eight male rabbits were randomly divided into eight groups (n = 6/group). In the first experiment, three groups were fed with HCD for 1, 2 and 3 months. In the second experiment, three groups were fed with HCD for 3 months, followed by normal chow for 1 month and administration of fluvastatin or rosuvastatin for 1 month. Control groups were fed with normal chow for 90 and 120 days. The whole myocardium was removed; total RNA was isolated from acquired samples, and polymerase chain reaction, reverse transcription PCR and quantitative real-time PCR were performed. Results: mRNA of TLRs 2, 3, 4 and 8; interleukin-6; TNF-a; metalloproteinase-2; tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1; tumor protein 53; cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3; and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) increased in HCD. Statins but not resumption of a normal diet decreased levels of these biomarkers and increased levels of antifibrotic factors. Conclusions: HCD increases the levels of TLRs; inflammatory, fibrotic and apoptotic factors; and BNP in the rabbit myocardium. Atherogenic diets adversely affect the myocardium at a molecular level and are reversed by statins.

Differential Expression of Woodchuck Toll-Like Receptors 1-10 in Distinct Forms of Infection and Stages of Hepatitis in Experimental Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Woodchucks infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) represent a highly valuable model of human hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, chronic hepatitis (CH), and virus induced-primary liver cancer. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important mediators of immune responses playing pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of viral diseases; however, their expression profiles in different forms of infection and stages of hepatitis, and in healthy animals remain essentially unknown. In this study, woodchuck TLRs 1–10 exon fragments were identified and TLR genes transcription quantified in livers, primary hepatocytes, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and in selected organs during experimental WHV infection. Among others, liver biopsies from acute hepatitis (AH) and CH showed significantly augmented expression of the majority of TLRs when compared to healthy and woodchucks prior to AH, with resolved AH or primary occult infection. In contrast to the liver tissue, significant upregulation of TLR3, TLR4, and TLR10, but downregulation of TLR7, characterized hepatocytes derived from livers of animals with resolved AH accompanied by secondary occult infection. Hepatocytes from CH showed significantly lower expression or a trend toward suppression of several TLRs when compared to hepatocytes from healthy animals and woodchucks with other forms of infection or hepatitis, suggesting that hepatocyte innate immune response is downregulated during CH. Contrastingly, upregulated transcription of some TLRs characterized PBMC throughout CH. Our study uncovered that TLR expression significantly varies between different forms of hepadnaviral infection and whether infection is accompanied or not by hepatitis. The results showed that the profiles of TLRs’ expression in circulating lymphomononuclear cells do not mirror accurately those of livers and hepatocytes from infected animals. These findings are of importance to the understanding of immune process operating at different sites targeted by virus in the course of hepadnaviral infection and evaluation of future therapies modifying antiviral innate responses in the woodchuck model.