Hepatic TLR4, MBL and CRP gene expression levels are associated with chronic hepatitis C.

Contact with HCV triggers the activation of innate mechanisms responsible for initial infection control. Host cells expressed extra- or intracellularly molecules that promote recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are molecules available for HCV PAMP recognition.

Lack of Association between Polymorphisms of the TLR4 Gene and Infection with the Hepatitis B and C Viruses.

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a crucial role in the early recognition of pathogenic microorganisms and provides an ideal model to investigate the consequences of genetic variation and susceptibility to diseases. The present study investigated the occurrence of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs4986790 (A>G) and rs4986791 (C>T) in the TLR4 gene in chronic carriers of the hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses. A total of 420 blood samples were collected (HBV, 49; HCV, 72; and controls, 299) at the liver disease outpatient clinic of Hospital da Fundação Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Pará (FSCMPA).

Toll-like receptor 3 gene polymorphisms are not associated with the risk of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection.

Introduction: The present study investigated the prevalence of two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) gene in patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Methods: Samples collected from HCV (n = 74) and HBV (n = 35) carriers were subjected to quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) to detect the presence of the SNPs rs5743305 and rs3775291 in TLR3 and to measure the following biomarkers: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and prothrombin time (PT). A healthy control group was investigated and consisted of 299 HCV- and HBV-seronegative individuals.