Abstract: Objective To investigate the mRNA expression of TLR4 mRNA and TLR2 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)from the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods The mRNA of TLR4 and TLR2 were detected in the patients with SLE (n=41) and the normal healthy control (n=24) with the method of Taqman Real-time PCR. Results The mRNA expression of TLR4 was significantly higher in active SLE patients than that in inactive SLE patients and the normal healthy control (P<0.01), and was especially higher in the relapsed patients and active SLE received the treatment of glucocorticoid (GC) than that in the patients who were never treated with GC (P<0.05). But comparing with the normal healthy controls, the mRNA expression of TLR2 was significant lower either in the patients with active or inactive SLE (P<0.01). Conclusion The higher expression of TLR4 mRNA in active SLE patients indicates that infection may be one of the precipitating factors of SLE or SLE relapse.

Key words: Lupus erythematosus, systemic, Toll-like receptors