TLR2 and TLR4 Signaling Pathways and Gastric Cancer: Insights from Transcriptomics and Sample Validation

Pattern recognition receptors, especially toll-like receptors (TLRs), as the first line of defense for pathogen detection, were found to be associated with H.¬ pylori infection and gastric cancer (GC). However, the expression levels of TLRs, i.e. TLR2 and TLR4, as the main receptors sensed by H.¬ pylori, still remain largely ambiguous. We aimed to investigate the patterns of key transcripts of TLR2 and TLR4 in 100 GC transcriptome data. Additionally, we evaluated TLR2 and TLR4 gene expressions in gastric biopsies of Iranian GC patients, in order to validate RNA-seq outputs.

For this study, 100 runs of GC samples and controls were processed and analyzed using map read to reference. Differential gene expression method was used to distinguish between GC and normal samples in the expression of TLRs and other innate immune molecules. Also, using qRT-PCR assay, transcripts of TLRs molecules for 15 GC and 15 control samples were analyzed based on the analysis of variance and least significant differences.

The results clearly showed that all signaling pathways molecules of TLR4, especially TLR4 (p = 0.019), NF-κB (p ¬= 0.047), IL-1β (p = 0.0096), and TNF-α (p = 0.048), were upregulated in a cancerous condition in different parts and at various stages of GC.

Our findings suggested that molecules involved in inflammation, including TLR4 and its related pro-inflammatory cytokines, may be responsible for the development and progression of GC. Accordingly, the control of H. pylori infection reduces inflammation in the gastric system and can play an important role in preventing gastrointestinal disorders.