Expression of Toll-like receptors in the lesions of condyloma acuminatum

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expression of Toll-like receptors(TLRs) in condyloma acuminatum(CA) lesions and their possible roles in the pathogenesis of CA. Methods The expressions of TLR1-10 mRNA level in the lesions of CA and in the cervix scrape cells from the patients with human papillomavirus(HPV) negative chronic cervicitis were detected by real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR. HPV typing was detected by HPV GenoArray test kit. Results Low-risk HPV type 6 and type 11 were the most prevalent types in the forty CA cases with positive rate of 77.5% and 55% respectively. 55% CA patients were found infected with more than two types of HPV. 35% CA patients were concurrently infected with high-risk HPV. The expressions of TLR3, 7, 8 mRNA were higher than other TLRs and the expression of TLR9 mRNA was lower than others in the lesions of CA. No significant differences of the TLR1-10 mRNA levels were found between HPV6 and HPV11 positive CA lesions, so did it between low-risk and high-risk HPV concurrent infected CA lesions. The expressions of TLR1-3, TLR5-8, TLR10 mRNA, especially TLR2, TLR7 and TLR8 in the lesions of CA were significantly higher than that in cervix scrape cells of HPV negative chronic cervicitis. There were no significant differences of TLR4 and TLR9 mRNA levels between the two groups. Conclusion There were higher expressions of some TLRs (3, 7, 8) and lower expression of TLR9 in the lesions of CA. Compared with HPV negative chronic cervicitis, the expressions of TLR1-3, TLR5-8, TLR10 mRNA in the lesions of CA were up-regulated. The expression profile of TLRs in different type of HPV infected CA lesions had no significant differences. Our results suggested that the expression profile of TLRs in CA may be associated with the HPV infection. Whether it was associated with the immune escape mechanism and persistent infection of HPV need further demonstration. Key words: Quantitative fluorescent PCR; Condyloma acuminatum; HPV; TLR