Study the Cross-talk Between Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Interferon Regulatory Factors in Liver Transplant Patients

Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) as immunoregulatory molecules have a determinative antiviral role in liver transplantation outcomes and graft rejection. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and its antigen derivatives also choose some strategies to escape from innate immune responses.

The current study aimed at evaluating inflammatory cross-talks between pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) signaling components such as IRF3 and IRF7 with HBV infection in mRNA levels in patients undergoing liver transplantation.

The 46 HBV infected liver recipients were divided into rejection experienced (20) and not experienced (26) groups and a healthy control group was also considered. Peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated form each studied patient on the days 1, 4, and 7 in post-transplant period. After RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis from each collected sample, the expression levels of IRF3 and IRF7 genes were evaluated using in-house SYBER Green based the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocols.

The overexpression of mRNA levels of IRF3 (3.37 folds) and IRF7 (1.74 folds) on the day 1 were found in patients experiencing rejection, compared with non-rejected ones, based on initial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injuries. But, the mRNA levels of IRF3 (0.53 folds) and IRF7 (0.74 folds) on the day 4 were downregulated in patients with rejected transplantation, compared with non-rejected ones. Finally, reducing the expression of IRF3 (0.54 fold) on the day 7 and upregulation of IRF7 (2.38 fold) on the day 7 were found in rejected liver recipients, compared with non-rejected ones in post-transplant period.

Downregulation of IRF3 expression in patients with HBV infection, who experienced rejection episodes in the first week post-liver transplantation indicated that they may be at higher risk for acute rejection; the hypothesis, which should be investigated in further studies.