[Expression of toll-like receptors on blood leucocytes of children with chronic viral hepatitis C].

OBJECTIVE

Assessment of the effect of anti-viral therapy in children affected by chronic hepatitis C on the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLR) on blood leucocytes

METHODS

A cohort of children (n=24) infected with C virus with completed anti-viral therapy with interferon-alpha + ribavirin and another group of children HCV+ (n=23) awaiting for treatment entered this study. Three ml of blood was drawn from each child, divided on 100 ml aliquots and incubated with the panel offluorochrome labelled monoclonal antibodies versus differentiation antigens of leucocytes, anti - TLR2 and TLR4. After washing samples were subjected to acquisition in flow cytometer FACScan (Becton Dickinson). Data were analyzed by means of BD FACS Diva version 4.1.2 software.

RESULTS

It was found that blood leucocytes of HCV+ children which completed anti-viral therapy, show significantly higher expression of TLR2 and TLR4. This rise was evident not only in percentage of cells, but also in mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). It was true in the case of granulocytes, T, B lymphocytes and monocytes, but the latter did not differ significantly from their counterparts derived from untreated children.

CONCLUSION

Anti-viral treatment of children infected with C virus results in heightened expression of Toll-like receptors on blood leucocytes.