Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which include the Toll-like receptors (TLRs), are involved in the innate immune response to infection. TLR4 is a model for the TLR family and is the main LPS receptor. We wanted to determine the expression of TLR4 and compare it with that of TLR2 and CD14 along the gastrointestinal mucosa of normal and colitic BALB/c mice. Colitis was induced with 2.5% dext...

The interactions between the renin-angiotensin system and neovascularization in atherosclerotic plaque development are unclear. We investigated the effects of angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonism in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice with a special focus on plaque neovascularization. ApoE(-/-) mice fed a high-fat diet were randomly assigned t...

Heterologous expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR)2 and CD14 in Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts was reported to confer responsiveness to pneumococcal peptidoglycan. The present study characterized the role of TLR2 in the host immune response and clinical course of pneumococcal meningitis. Pneumococcal infection of mice caused a significant increase in brain TLR2 mRNA expression at both 4 and...

This report investigates the molecular basis for tissue-restricted and regulated expression of the pattern recognition receptor Toll-like receptor (TLR)2 in human monocytes and macrophages. To define the proximal promoter, the full 5'-sequence and transcriptional start sites of TLR2 mRNA were determined. The human TLR2 gene was found to consist of two 5' noncoding exons followed by a third codi...

BACKGROUND Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 is a component of the innate immune system and senses specific pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) of both microbial and viral origin. Cell activation via TLR2 and other pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) contributes to sepsis pathology and chronic inflammation both relying on overamplification of an immune response. Intracellular antibodies ex...

Rifampicin is a macrocyclic antibiotic which is used extensively for treatment against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections. Recently, a number of studies have focused on the immune-regulatory effects of rifampicin. Therefore, we hypothesized that rifampicin may influence the TLR2 expression in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. In this study, we determined that rifampicin ...

Our study explored the role of extrapituitary prolactin (PRL) and toll-like receptors (TLR)2 and TLR4 in defense reaction of immune system to bacterial infection. Forty-two patients diagnosed with sepsis were recruited and blood samples were withdrawn after patients' admission to hospital, after the end of acute phase of sepsis and after the sepsis has been resolved, respectively. Seventeen pat...

Immunologically active molecules such as cytokines and chemokines have been implicated in skeletal muscle weakness during sepsis as well as recovery from muscle injury. In sepsis, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) act as key sentinel molecules of the innate immune system. Here we determined skeletal muscle cell responses of two prototypical CC and CXC chemokine genes (monocyte chemoattractant protein ...

PURPOSE To investigate Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression and reactivity in patients with the wet form age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS Blood samples were collected from 25 patients with wet AMD and 25 age-matched healthy controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated with Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation. Expression of TLR1 to TLR10 mRNAs in ...

Human Toll-like receptors (TLRs) comprise a family of proteins that recognizes pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and initiates host innate immune responses. Neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages are critical cellular components of the human innate immune system. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimula...