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Review
. 2022 May 13;23(10):5475.
doi: 10.3390/ijms23105475.

Toll-like Receptor Response to Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Recent Overview

Mohammad Enamul Hoque Kayesh  1 , Michinori Kohara  2 , Kyoko Tsukiyama-Kohara  3
Affiliations
Review

Toll-like Receptor Response to Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Recent Overview

Mohammad Enamul Hoque Kayesh et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a major global health burden, causing chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are evolutionarily conserved pattern recognition receptors that detect pathogen-associated molecular patterns and activate downstream signaling to induce proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine production. An increasing number of studies have suggested the importance of TLR responses in the outcome of HCV infection. However, the exact role of innate immune responses, including TLR response, in controlling chronic HCV infection remains to be established. A proper understanding of the TLR response in HCV infection is essential for devising new therapeutic approaches against HCV infection. In this review, we discuss the progress made in our understanding of the host innate immune response to HCV infection, with a particular focus on the TLR response. In addition, we discuss the mechanisms adopted by HCV to avoid immune surveillance mediated by TLRs.

Keywords: Toll-like receptor; cytokines; hepatitis C virus; infection; innate immunity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
TLR response to HCV infection. Red arrows indicate the induction/activation of components of TLR signaling by HCV or its proteins; black lines indicate the inhibition of the host innate immune response or inhibition of HCV replication, as appropriate.
Figure 2
Figure 2
An overview of the mechanism of the host innate immune response inhibition by HCV and its proteins.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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