APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica
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The mechanism of hepatitis C virus (HCV) involvement in innate immune responses and immune modulation has not been well characterized. In the present work, we studied Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4, which were recently recognized as the important components of innate immunity, as well as CD4+ CD25+ CD127low/- regulatory T cells (Tregs), which actively suppress pathological and physiological immune response during HCV infection. The study involved 31 chronic hepatitis C patients and 20 healthy controls. ⋯ In vitro studies demonstrated that circulating Tregs suppress T-cell responses in chronic hepatitis C patients. Significant correlations were found between the viral load and Treg number and between TLR2 and TLR4 level in chronic hepatitis C patients. Taken together with other published data, these results suggest that TLR2, TLR4, and Tregs correlate closely with chronic HCV infection.