Relationship of Placental TLR-7 Expression with Cord Blood HBV DNA and Placental HBV DNA

Abstract Objective: To determine the role of TLR-7 expression on intrauterine vertical transmission in pregnancy through identification of serum hepatitis B markers in both maternal and umbilical cord blood. Method: Analysis of TLR expression was performed on 38 paraffin block samples of placental tissue acquired from mothers with HBV using TLR immunohistochemical staining. Result: 16 of 38 samples were acquired from mothers aged 26-30 years old. Most of the samples were from primiparous mothers (52.6%). This study found no significant association between TLR-7 expression and HBV DNA in the placenta and cord blood (p=1.000). However, we found a significant association between placental TLR-7 expression and maternal HBV DNA (p=0.034). Meanwhile, placental HBeAg and HBV DNA were not associated with placental TLR-7 expression (p=0.082; p = 1.000). Conclusion: There was no significant association between TLR-7 expression and HBV DNA in the placenta and cord blood, but we found a significant association between TLR-7 expression and maternal HBV DNA. Key word: toll-like receptor (TLR) 7, HBV DNA, umbilical cord, placental, Hepatitis B, intrauterine infection