Research advances in association between Toll-like receptor 4 and hepatitis B / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is an important pattern recognition receptor and plays an important role in the inhibition of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. It identifies the HBV-related proteins and produces inflammatory factors, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-12, and type I interferon through the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and the non-MyD88 pathway, and thus TLR4 exerts its antiviral effect. Meanwhile, it has been found that TLR4 regulates the balance between T helper 1 and T helper 2 cells, promotes the adhesion of CD8+ T lymphocytes in the liver, induces the secretion of inducible nitric oxide synthase, and thus inhibits HBV. If overexpressed, TLR4 will aggravate liver inflammation by excessively activating the body's immune system, aggravating liver ischemia/reperfusion, and activating hepatic stellate cells. This article reviews related articles published at home and abroad in recent years, discusses the mechanisms of action of TLR4 in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B, and summarizes the association between TLR4 and hepatitis B, in order to find new therapies for hepatitis B and new protocols which delay the progression of hepatitis B to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer through the studies on the association between TLR4 and hepatitis B.