Liver Cirrhosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Liver Cirrhosis, including details on alcohol, treatment, drugs, effects, causes.

Enhanced expression of type I interferon and toll-like receptor-3 in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Takii Y, Nakamura M, Ito M, Yokoyama T, Komori A, Shimizu-Yoshida Y, Nakao R, Kusumoto K, Nagaoka S, Yano K, Abiru S, Ueki T, Matsumoto T, Daikoku M, Taniguchi K, Fujioka H, Migita K, Yatsuhashi H, Nakashima M, Harada M, Ishibashi H

Clinical Research Center, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Nagasaki 856-8562, Japan.

The pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) remains enigmatic. In order to address this issue, we analyzed by laser capture microdissection and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction the site-specific expression of messenger RNA (mRNA) for cytokines (interferon (IFN)-alpha, -beta, -gamma, interleukin (IL)-1beta, -4, -6, -10, -12p40, -18, tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and toll-like receptors (TLRs) (TLR-2, -3, -4, -7, -9) in portal tract and liver parenchyma from patients with early-stage PBC. Expression of IFN-alpha, -beta and TLR-3 proteins was also studied by immunohistochemistry. Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) served as disease controls. The expression levels of type I IFN (IFN-alpha, -beta) and TLR-3 mRNAs, which are known to induce type I IFN, were significantly higher in portal tract and liver parenchyma as compared to AIH and CHC. A strong positive correlation between the mRNA levels of type I IFN and TLR-3 was also seen in both areas. Immunohistologically, IFN-alpha is present in the mononuclear cells in portal tract and sinusoidal cells. Macrophages in portal tract and hepatocytes expressed IFN-beta and TLR-3. Furthermore, the level of IFN-alpha mRNA in the portal tract was positively correlated with serum alkaline phosphatase. In conclusion, these data indicate that TLR-3 and type I IFN signaling pathways are active in both the portal tract and liver parenchyma of early-stage PBC, and form the basis for our hypothesis that these signaling pathways are involved in the pathophysiology of PBC.

Published 20 June 2005 in Lab Invest, 85(7): 908-20.
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