RESUMO
Objective: To investigate the expression of Toll-like receptor 2ï¼TLR2ï¼ and TLR4 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells ï¼PBMCï¼ and in the liver of patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE), and their correlations with related cytokines in plasma. Methods: Twenty-eight HAE patients hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University during January 2012 and June 2015 and 28 healthy volunteers as a control were enrolled in this study. Plasma levels of interferon-γ ï¼IFN-γï¼, interleukin-5 ï¼IL-5ï¼, IL-23, and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. qRT-PCR was performed to detect TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA levels in PBMCs and hepatic tissues. The percentage of peripheral blood eosinophil ï¼Eo%ï¼ was determined by a hematology analyzer. The correlations of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA levels in PBMCs with levels of related cytokines and Eo% were analyzed with the Spearman Correlation method. Results: ELISA results showed that the plasma levels of IFN-γ, IL-5, IL-23, and IL-10 in the HAE group were ï¼301.100±47.290ï¼, ï¼43.420±11.380ï¼, ï¼86.580±31.990ï¼ and ï¼8.766±7.568ï¼ pg/ml respectively, which were higher than those in the controlï¼»ï¼301.100±67.790ï¼, ï¼40.970±6.310ï¼, ï¼46.770±15.490ï¼ and ï¼6.272±10.360ï¼ pg/mlï¼½ with a statistical significance for IL-23 ï¼P<0.01ï¼. Results of qRT-PCR showed that the expression level of TLR2 in the HAE group ï¼0.100±0.084ï¼ was significantly higher than that in the control ï¼0.055±0.040ï¼ ï¼P<0.05ï¼, while the expression level of TLR4 in the HAE group ï¼0.004±0.003ï¼ was comparable to that in the controlï¼0.003±0.002ï¼ï¼P>0.05ï¼. The expression of TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA in HAE lesions in the HAE groupï¼29.680±25.650 and 21.340±16.640, respectivelyï¼ were both significantly higher than that in para-lesion regionsï¼2.308±4.140 and 5.541±9.233ï¼ and that in tissues of the control ï¼1.112±1.431 and 1.100±1.734ï¼ï¼P<0.01ï¼. There was also a significant difference in Eo% between the HAEï¼0.448±0.240ï¼ and the controlï¼0.110±0.100ï¼ groups. Spearman correlation coefficients revealed a positive correlation of TLR2 mRNA in PBMCs with plasma IL-23 level and peripheral blood Eo% in HAE subjectsï¼r=0.368, r=0.382, respectivelyï¼. Conclusion: There are increases in TLR2 and TLR4 mNRA expression in PBMCs and in HAE lesions in HAE patients. The TLR2 mNRA expression in PBMCs positively correlates with plasma IL-23 level and peripheral Eo%.