Expression of TLRs in control and irradiated cervical specimens.
A) Western blot analysis of TLR1 (90 kDa), TLR2 (90 kDa), TLR3 (95 kDa), TLR4 (95 kDa), TLR5 (95 kDa), TLR6 (96 kDa), TLR7 (121 kDa), TLR8 upper band (95 kDa), TLR8 lower band (90 kDa) and TLR9 (100 kDa) in control and irradiated cervices at day 14 post-irradiation (n = 5–7; expressed as fraction of control cervix expression). B) TLR5 expression in different structures of the cervix (n = 7–8). Representative microphotographs immunostained for TLR5 (green) and DAPI-stained nuclei (blue) of a control and irradiated cervix to the right. E indicates epithelium and Subm indicates submucosa. Horizontal bars indicate 200 μm. * indicates p<0.05 between TLR5 expression in control and irradiated cervices at day 14 post-irradiation and ** indicates p<0.01 between TLR5 epithelial expression in control and irradiated cervices at day 14 post-irradiation. Vertical bars indicate S.E.M.