Abstract: Objective To investigate the relationship between the degree of liver fibrosis and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Methods From January 2019 to December 2019, 185 patients with CHC treated in our hospital were enrolled as CHC group. Another 185 healthy individuals who underwent physical examination in our hospital during the same period were enrolled as control group. The mRNA levels of TLR2 and TLR4 were compared between the 2 groups. According to the degree of liver fibrosis, CHC patients were divided into F1 subgroup (n=35), F2 subgroup (n=63), F3 subgroup (n=58) and F4 subgroup (n=29). The levels of TLR2 mRNA and TLR4 mRNA were compared among the subgroups. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between the degree of liver fibrosis and mRNA levels of TLR2 and TLR4. Results The levels of TLR2 mRNA and TLR4 mRNA in CHC group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.05). The levels of TLR2 mRNA and TLR4 mRNA were statistically different among subgroups with different degree of liver fibrosis (F1 subgrouP<F2 subgrouP<F3 subgrouP<F4 subgroup, P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the expression of TLR2 mRNA and TLR4 mRNA was positively correlated with the degree of liver fibrosis in CHC patients (P<0.05). Conclusion The levels of TLR2 mRNA and TLR4 mRNA increase with the progression of liver fibrosis in CHC patients.

Key words: Chronic viral hepatitis, Liver fibrosis, Toll-like receptor 2, Toll-like receptor 4