The value of toll-like receptors in predicting the activation of latent herpesvirus infection during pregnancy

Introduction. Recurrent pregnancy loss is a pathological condition characterized by inevitable miscarriage before 22 weeks of pregnancy or at birth of a fetus below 500 g of weight. The causes of miscarriage are quite diverse, and viral infections, including herpesvirus infection (HVI), is one of the important etiological factors for the development of this pathology. Activation of herpesvirus infection (HVI) has an extremely adverse effect on the course of pregnancy. The issue of the mechanism of reactivation of herpes viruses (HS) and the role of toll-like receptors (TLR) in predicting the activation of latent HVI during pregnancy has been insufficiently studied until the present. The study is aimed at evaluating the possibilities of predicting the activation of latent herpesvirus infection during pregnancy.

Materials and methods. A total of 110 pregnant women with different courses of HVI were examined. The examination included the study of the TLR expression level and measurement of the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels.

Results and discussion. Given the high specificity of TLR8 and the interferon system (IFN) against viral antigens, it can be assumed that the activation of TLR and the development of early cytokine reactions prior to the detection of specific antibodies in patients with latent HVI are predictors of advanced herpes infection. The levels of TLR8 expression and concentration of IFN-γ and IL-10 at the local level in patients with latent BBVI can be regarded as predictors of the transition of HBV from the latent phase of the life cycle to the lytic phase.

Conclusion. If HVI develops actively during pregnancy, the antiviral immune response cascade that underlie the natural immune response starts at the local level, regardless of the localization of the antigen, and only a breakdown of the compensatory and adaptive mechanisms leads to the implementation of a systemic antiviral immune response. This suggests the important role of HVI, especially of its active forms, in the suppression of immunity during pregnancy.

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