Expression Profile of Toll-like Receptors in Monocytes of Peripheral Blood from Osteoarthritic Patients Undergoing Arthroplasty

To investigate the difference in the expression of TLRs in monocytes from patients with/without implants. Blood samples from 21 osteoarthritic patients undergoing joint replacement (11 cases) or arthroscopy (10 cases) were tested. Blood samples were obtained within 24 h before surgery and the third postoperative day to measure cell-associated TLRs by FCM. The results showed that in the absence of clinical infection, implantation of joint prosthesis seems to be associated with a significant decrease in circulating TLR2- and TLR7-positive cells, whereas the decrease in TLR4- and TLR9-positive cells was not statistically significant. A small intervention in the form of knee arthroscopy was without effect. TLRs seem to be affected by the implantation of joint prosthesis, perhaps by migration to and entrapment in peri-implant tissues. Due to their role in innate and adaptive immunity, TLRs may have consequences for the postoperative inflammation and infection.