<i>C</i>. <i>sinensis</i> enhanced bile duct and liver injury through TLR2 pathway.

(A) Liver lesions of C. sinensis-infected WT and TLR2-/- mice at 7dpi, 15dpi and 35 dpi were observed. C. sinensis caused hepatomegaly, jaundice, cholestasis, connective tissue hyperplasia, and bile ducts dilated protrusions, white arrow pointed to gallbladder, and blue arrow pointed to bile ducts dilated protrusions. (B) Liver tissue sections were prepared and stained with H&E. Histopathological changes of C. sinensis-infected WT and TLR2-/- mice at different time points were observed. The oozed inflammatory cells were indicated by the black arrows. Hepatic cells necrotic was indicated by ‘HN’; Obstruction of the biliary tract by parasites was indicated by the letter ‘PA’. Scale bars = 50 μm. (C) Immunohistochemistry for CK-19 in the liver from WT and TLR2-/- mice at 7 dpi, 15 dpi and 35 dpi of C. sinensis infection. The BECs hyperplasia were indicated by the black arrows. Obstruction of the biliary tract by parasites was indicated by the letter ‘PA’. Scale bars = 20 μm. (D) The degree of liver inflammation and injury was calculated by hepatic HAI.