Endotoxin and cytokine regulation of toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4 gene expression in murine liver and hepatocytes

Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and TLR4 are members of the interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) family and transduce similar signals as IL-1R in response to bacteria and bacterial components. In this study, we investigated the regulation of their gene expression in murine tissues, especially in the liver and hepatocytes. When mice were administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS), TLR2 mRNA was upregulated in the brain, heart, lung, liver, and kidney. In contrast, it was downregulated in the spleen. TLR4 mRNA was decreased in the brain. In the heart and lung, it increased, and it was not affected in the liver, kidney, and spleen. TLR mRNA was further analyzed in the liver and hepatocytes. Like LPS treatment, administration of IL-1, IL-6, or tumor necrosis factor (TNF) upregulated TLR2 mRNA. However, none of them affected the TLR4 mRNA level. In primary cultured hepatocytes, TLR2 mRNA was upregulated by LPS, IL-1, or TNF but not by IL-6 or dexamethasone. None of them affected TLR4 mRNA expression. Similar responses were observed in the murine hepatoma cell line Hepa 1-6. These results suggest that in infection with gram-negative bacteria, LPS and proinflammatory cytokines differentially regulate gene expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in murine hepatocytes, which may lead to pathologic and host defense reactions in the liver.