Are RIG-1 and MDA5 Expressions Associated with Chronic HBV Infection?

Melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) and retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-1) as the pattern recognition receptors play important roles in viral mRNA recognition. Chronic HBV-infected (CHB) patients are unable to properly respond to hepatitis B virus (HBV). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the mRNA levels of MDA5 and RIG-1 in the peripheral blood immune cells of CHB patients in comparison to healthy controls. In this cross-sectional study, the mRNA levels of MDA5 and RIG-1 were examined in 60 CHB patients and 60 healthy controls using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Our results showed that mRNA levels of MDA5 and RIG-1 were significantly decreased and increased, respectively, in CHB patients when compared to healthy controls. Our results also revealed that mRNA levels of MDA5 and RIG-1 were not altered among CHB patients with various states of e-antigen of hepatitis B and HBV-DNA viral loads. According to the results presented here, it may be concluded that downregulation of MDA5 may be a responsible mechanism from several reasons, which leads to HBV persistence in CHB patients.