Rotavirus and coxsackievirus infection activated different profiles of toll-like receptors and chemokines in intestinal epithelial cells.

OBJECTIVE

To understand the inflammatory-immune response in intestinal epithelial cells after infection of rotavirus and coxsackievirus B3.

METHODS

We examined by quantitative PCR the expression profiles of genes encoding five toll-like receptors (TLR) and levels of three chemokines in response to rotavirus and coxsackievirus B3 infection in a human intestinal epithelial cell line (HT-29 cells).

RESULTS

We demonstrated that rotavirus induced significantly increased levels of mRNA expression for TLR2, TLR3, TLR7 and TLR8 in HT-29 cells in a time-dependent manner. In contrast, coxsackievirus B3 did not stimulate mRNA expression for TLR3. Rotavirus and coxsackievirus B3 also induced higher levels of mRNA expression for RANTES, IP-10 and IL-8 during the period of infection in a different manner. Finally, significantly elevated levels of RANTES, IP-10 and IL-8 were detected by ELISA in rotavirus-infected cells from 24 to 48 h.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that different patterns of TLRs and chemokines were induced in the initiation and modulation of immune response to rotavirus and coxsackievirus B3 infection.