MyD88, a Toll/interleukin-1 receptor homology (TIR) domain-containing adaptor protein, mediates signals from the Toll-like receptors (TLR) or IL-1/IL-18 receptors to downstream kinases. In MyD88-dependent TLR4 signaling, the function of MyD88 is enhanced by another TIR domain-containing adaptor, Mal/TIRAP, which brings MyD88 to the plasma membrane and promotes its interaction with the cytosolic...

BACKGROUND Myeloid differentiation factor (MyD)-88 is a key adaptor protein that plays a major role in the innate immune pathway. How MyD88 may regulate host response in inflammatory heart disease is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS We found that the cardiac protein level of MyD88 was significantly increased in the hearts of wild-type mice after exposure to Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). MyD88(-/-) mi...

MyD88 is an important signaling adaptor for both TLR and IL-1R family members. Here, we evaluated the role of TLR2/MyD88 and IL-1R/MyD88 signaling in host defense against S. aureus by using a cutaneous infection model in conjunction with bioluminescent bacteria. We found that lesions of S. aureus-infected MyD88- and IL-1R-deficient mice were substantially larger with higher bacterial counts com...

A number of proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1beta, signal through the adaptor protein MyD88. This signaling leads to phosphorylation of IL-1R-associated kinase-1 (IRAK-1) and, ultimately, activation of the NF-kappaB transcription factor. A splice variant of MyD88 (MyD88(S)), which lacks the ability to couple IRAK-1 to NF-kappaB, has been described. A chemically modified antisense oligon...

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are known predominantly for their role in activating the innate immune response. Recently, TLR signaling via MyD88 has been reported to play an important function in development of a B-cell response. Since B cells are a major latency reservoir for murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68), we investigated the role of TLR signaling in the establishment and maintenance of MHV6...

The innate immune system relies on evolutionally conserved Toll-like receptors (TLRs) to recognize diverse microbial molecular structures. Most TLRs depend on a family of adaptor proteins termed MyD88s to transduce their signals. Critical roles of MyD88-1-4 in host defense were demonstrated by defective immune responses in knockout mice. In contrast, the sites of expression and functions of ver...

Resolution of Chlamydia genital tract infection is delayed in the absence of MyD88. In these studies, we first used bone marrow chimeras to demonstrate a requirement for MyD88 expression by hematopoietic cells in the presence of a wild-type epithelium. Using mixed bone marrow chimeras we then determined that MyD88 expression was specifically required in the adaptive immune compartment. Furtherm...

LPS, a major component of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria, can induce a variety of biological responses including cytokine production from macrophages, B cell proliferation, and endotoxin shock. All of them were completely abolished in MyD88-deficient mice, indicating the essential role of MyD88 in LPS signaling. However, MyD88-deficient cells still show activation of NF-kappaB and mito...

Myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88) is classically known as an adaptor, linking TLR and IL-1R to downstream signaling pathways in the innate immune system. In addition to its role in innate immune cells, MyD88 has been shown to play an important role in T cells. How MyD88 regulates helper T-cell differentiation remains largely unknown, however. Here we demonstrate that M...

The inflammatory response to prosthetic implant-derived wear particles is the primary cause of bone loss and aseptic loosening of implants, but the mechanisms by which macrophages recognize and respond to particles remain unknown. Studies of innate immunity demonstrate that Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and danger-associated molecular patter...