Objective: To investigate the expression pattern of human triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1) mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and its clinical significance in acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis (AOSC).
Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from 36 patients with AOSC and 40 healthy adults. TREM-1 mRNA was determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and TREM-1 protein by immunocytochemistry. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TNF-alpha) was used to detect the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and immunoturbidimetry employed to detect C reactive protein.
Results: The expression of TREM-1 mRNA relative to beta-actin was 1.007-/+0.252 in patients with AOSC, significantly higher than that in the healthy adults (0.457-/+0.053, P<0.05). The two groups also showed significantly different TREM protein expression (P<0.01). The AOSC patients exhibited significantly higher levels of TNF-alpha and C reactive protein than the healthy adults (P<0.01).
Conclusion: The expression of human TREM-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is up-regulated obviously in early stage of AOSC, probably suggesting an important role of TREM-1 in the development of AOSC.