Up-regulation of AIM2 and TLR4 and down-regulation of NLRC4 are associated with septicemia

Abstract Purpose Innate immunity receptors play key roles in recognition of bacterial associated molecular patterns. Inflammasomes and toll like receptors (TLRs) are the important innate immunity receptors. In this project transcription levels of TLR4, a TLR member, absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) and NLR family CARD domain-containing protein 4 (NLRC4), as inflammasomes, in the patients suffering from septicemia. Methods AIM2, NLRC4 and TLR4 mRNA levels were evaluated in the 40 patients suffering from septicemia and 40 healthy controls using Real-Time PCR technique. Results Data analysis revealed that, although NLRC4 expression decreased, TLR4 and AIM2 levels significantly increased in the patients suffering from septicemia. Gender and infection with various bacteria did not affect expression of AIM2, NLRC4 and TLR4. Conclusions It appears that septicemia can be limited by immune responses in AIM2 and TLR4 dependent manner. The potential roles played by bacteria to down-regulation of NLRC4 need to be evaluated by further investigations.