The Role of CXCLs and CXCR3 mRNA Expression Levels in Viral Hepatitis-Infected Liver Transplant Recipients

Abstract

Background/Aims: Chemokines play a serious role in immune responses to viral infections and allograft rejections. Therefore, current study aimes to evaluate the expression levels of CXCLs and CXCR3 in liver transplanted (LT) patients with hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), HBV/HCV coinfection, and non-infected ones.

Materials and Methods: The mRNA expression levels of studied genes were evaluated in LT patients with HBV (n=69), HCV (n=15), HBV/HCV coinfection (n=16), and non-infected (n=48) patients, compared to the control group (n=25). HBsAg and HBeAg were analyzed using ELISA methods. HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA evaluated using simple PCR and nested RT-PCR protocols.

Results: The mRNA expression level of CXCL10 was significantly up-regulated in HBV-infected and non-infected groups compared to controls (p≤ 0.05). The CXCL11 and CXCR3 mRNA expression levels were significantly increased in the patient groups compared with controls (p≤ 0.05).  The expression levels of CXCL9 and CXCL10 were significantly correlated in the HBV group (r= 0.6, p≤ 0.05). The correlation between CXCL10 and CXCL11 was also significantly positive (r= 0.4, p≤ 0.05). Additionally, CXCL11 mRNA expression had a significant association with CXCR3 (r= 0.4, p≤ 0.05).

Conclusion: The up-regulation of CXCL11, CXCL10, and CXCR3 in HBV and HCV-infected and non-infected liver transplant patients compared to the controls and the direct correlations between the expression levels of CXCLs and CXCR3 in HBV liver transplant patients put more emphasis on the critical function of these molecules in the HBV and HCV infections pathogenesis inpost liver transplantation. However, more investigations are needed.