Toll-like receptors (TLRs) represent the immune link between the innate and the adaptive immune signals against various pathogens. This study aimed to evaluate the TLRs3 and 7 as immune-markers in differentiating between hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected and -uninfected patients. Also, the use of the TLR3 and TLR7 as immune markers was compared with the prevalent bio and immune markers for autoimmune diseases in HCV-infected or -uninfected patients. The levels of GPT, GOT, B cell activated factors, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin (IL)-10 were measured in plasma, while the levels of TLR3 and TLR7 were quantified in lysates of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors, HCV-infected patients, nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) patients without autoimmune diseases and with autoimmune diseases (HCV-infected patients with autoimmune diseases [HCV+auto], nonalcoholic fatty liver patients with autoimmune diseases [NAFL+auto]), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. The relative expression of TLR3, TLR7, TNF, and IL-10 in cell lysates was assessed against glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) by quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results showed that TLRs 3 and 7 levels were significantly higher in SLE, RA, HCV, HCV+auto, and the NAFL patients compared to the normal control. The cell lysates from SLE patients expressed TLR3 at relatively significantly higher mRNA levels compared to normal subjects or other patient groups. The NAFL+auto patients expressed TLR7 at relatively significantly high mRNA levels compared to normal subjects or other patients. The RA patients expressed TLR7 at relatively significantly higher mRNA levels when compared to HCV, HCV+auto, and NAFL+auto patients. Conclusions: At the protein level, TLR7 can differentiate between HCV and NAFL patients. In addition, both TLRs3 and 7 can serve as potent markers in differentiating between NAFL and NAFL+auto.

中文翻译：

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TLR3\TLR7 作为埃及患者病毒性、非病毒性和自身免疫性疾病的差异表达标志物

Toll 样受体 (TLR) 代表了针对各种病原体的先天免疫信号和适应性免疫信号之间的免疫联系。本研究旨在评估 TLRs3 和 7 作为区分丙型肝炎病毒 (HCV) 感染和未感染患者的免疫标志物。此外，将 TLR3 和 TLR7 作为免疫标志物的使用与 HCV 感染或未感染患者中自身免疫性疾病的普遍生物和免疫标志物进行了比较。GPT、GOT、B细胞活化因子、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF- α)，并在血浆中测量白细胞介素 (IL)-10，而在来自健康供体、HCV 感染患者、无自身免疫性疾病的非酒精性脂肪肝 (NAFL) 患者和自身免疫性疾病（HCV 感染患者自身免疫性疾病 [HCV+auto]、非酒精性脂肪肝患者自身免疫性疾病 [NAFL+auto]）、类风湿性关节炎 (RA) 和系统性红斑狼疮 (SLE) 患者。通过定量实时聚合酶链式反应 (qRT-PCR) 针对 3-磷酸甘油醛脱氢酶 (GAPDH) 评估细胞裂解物中 TLR3、TLR7、TNF 和 IL-10 的相对表达。结果显示，与正常对照组相比，SLE、RA、HCV、HCV+auto 和 NAFL 患者的 TLRs 3 和 7 水平显着升高。与正常受试者或其他患者组相比，来自 SLE 患者的细胞裂解物以相对显着更高的 mRNA 水平表达 TLR3。与正常受试者或其他患者相比，NAFL+auto 患者以相对显着高的 mRNA 水平表达 TLR7。与 HCV、HCV+auto 和 NAFL+auto 患者相比，RA 患者以相对显着更高的 mRNA 水平表达 TLR7。结论：在蛋白水平上，TLR7可以区分HCV和NAFL患者。此外，TLRs3 和 7 都可以作为区分 NAFL 和 NAFL+auto 的有效标志物。与正常受试者或其他患者相比，NAFL+auto 患者以相对显着高的 mRNA 水平表达 TLR7。与 HCV、HCV+auto 和 NAFL+auto 患者相比，RA 患者以相对显着更高的 mRNA 水平表达 TLR7。结论：在蛋白水平上，TLR7可以区分HCV和NAFL患者。此外，TLRs3 和 7 都可以作为区分 NAFL 和 NAFL+auto 的有效标志物。与正常受试者或其他患者相比，NAFL+auto 患者以相对显着高的 mRNA 水平表达 TLR7。与 HCV、HCV+auto 和 NAFL+auto 患者相比，RA 患者以相对显着更高的 mRNA 水平表达 TLR7。结论：在蛋白水平上，TLR7可以区分HCV和NAFL患者。此外，TLRs3 和 7 都可以作为区分 NAFL 和 NAFL+auto 的有效标志物。