Human TLR gene family members are differentially expressed in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder

• Published in: Urologic oncology Vol. 35; no. 12; pp. 674.e11 - 674.e17
• Main Authors: Sabah-Ozcan, Seda, Baser, Aykut, Olcucu, Taha, Barıs, Ikbal Cansu, Elmas, Levent, Tuncay, Levent, Eskicorapci, Saadettin, Turk, Nilay Sen, Caner, Vildan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.12.2017
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - genetics; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - urine; Cytokines - urine; Female; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Inflammation Mediators - urine; Male; Middle Aged; Multigene Family; Proinflammatory cytokines; Protein Isoforms - genetics; Protein Isoforms - urine; TLR expression; Toll-Like Receptors - genetics; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - genetics; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - urine; Urine; Urothelial carcinoma; Urine; TLR expression; Proinflammatory cytokines; Urothelial carcinoma
• ISSN: 1078-1439; 1873-2496
• DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2017.07.029

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have an important role in the activation of both innate and adaptive immunity in response to pathogens and endogenous danger signals from damaged or dying cells. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between urothelial carcinoma (UC) and TLR expression. Real-time polymerase chain reaction evaluation was made of the messenger RNA expression of TLRs 1–10 in 24 UC samples and 46 nontumoral bladder tissue samples. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) in the urine samples were also determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. TLR2–7 and TLR10 expressions were significantly higher in UC than in the control group (P<0.05 for all comparisons). No concordance was found between matched tumor tissue and urine samples in terms of TLR expression. IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 levels were significantly higher in urine specimens of patients with UC (P = 0.033, P = 0.001, and P = 0.008, respectively). The results of this study demonstrated that the TLR gene expression profiles reflect the heterogeneity within UC. These results might also prompt further investigation to better understand the role of the TLR gene family expression in the tumor progression of UC. •TLR family members were differentially expressed in tumor tissues.•There was no correlation between their expressions in urine and tissue samples.•The levels of proinflammatory cytokines were elevated in urine samples of UC patients.