• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.97-105
• /
• 2007

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) playa crucial role in initiating and regulating innate and adaptive immune responses by detecting invading microbial pathogens. TLRs can also respond to non-microbial molecules derived from damaged tissue. Accumulating evidence suggests that deregulation of TLRs results in the dysfunction of immune system and ultimately increases the risk of many immune and inflammatory diseases including infectious diseases, allergy, and autoimmune diseases. Therefore, understanding how the immune system is controlled by TLRs will provide new insight to find the way to prevent or treat infectious diseases and immune disorders.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.174-185
• /
• 2006

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) were evolved to detect invading pathogens and to induce innate immune responses in order to mount host defense mechanisms. It becomes apparent that the activation of certain TLRs is also modulated by endogenous molecules including lipid components, fatty acids. Results from epidemiological and animal studies demonstrated that saturated and polyunsaturated dietary fatty acids can differentially modify the risk of development of many chronic diseases. Inflammation is now recognized as an important underlying etiologic condition for the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases. Therefore, if the activation of TLRs and consequent inflammatory and immune responses are differentially modulated by types of lipids in vivo, this would suggest that the risk of the development of chronic inflammatory diseases and the host defense against microbial infection may be modified by the types of dietary fat consumed.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.153-166
• /
• 2012

A variety of ligands differ in their capacity to bind the receptor, elicit gene expression, and modulate physiological responses. Such receptors include Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which recognize various patterns of pathogens and lead to primary innate immune activation against invaders, and G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), whose interaction with their cognate ligands activates heterotrimeric G proteins and regulates specific downstream effectors, including immuno-stimulating molecules. Once TLRs are activated, they lead to the expression of hundreds of genes together and bridge the arm of innate and adaptive immune responses. We characterized the gene expression profile of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in RAW 264.7 cells when it bound with its ligand, 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate (KDO), the active part of lipopolysaccharide. In addition, to determine the network communications among the TLR, Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), and GPCR, we tested RAW 264.7 cells with KDO, interferon-${\beta}$, or cAMP analog 8-Br. The ligands were also administered as a pair of double and triple combinations.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.269-273
• /
• 2005

Toll-like receptors (TLR) are important components of innate immunity in the defense against pathogens. TLRs recognize pathogen-associated common molecular patterns. TLRs are similar to the receptors involved in defense responses in plants. TLR protein is a type 1 membrane protein, consisting of an extracellular domain containing leucine-rich repeats and a cytoplasmic domain. The cytoplasmic domain delivers ligand recognition signals that result in production of anti-microbial agents. The cytoplasmic domain (amino acid 858-1032) of toll-like receptor 9 has been expressed using methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. The protein expression was confirmed by Western-blot, N-terminal sequencing and MALDl-TOF mass spectrometry. The proteins have been purified by nickel affinity, cation exchange and gel-filtration chromatography.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.365-368
• /
• 2009

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in host defense by sensing invading microbial pathogens and initiating innate immune responses. The stimulation of TLRs by microbial components triggers the activation of myeloid differential factor 88 (MyD88)- and toll-interleukin-1 receptor domain-containing adapter inducing interferon-${\beta}$ (TRIF)-dependent downstream signaling pathways. Isoliquiritigenin (ILG), an active ingredient of Licorice, has been used for centuries to treat many chronic diseases. ILG inhibits the MyD88-dependent pathway by inhibiting the activity of inhibitor-${\kappa}B$ kinase. However, it is not known whether ILG inhibits the TRIF-dependent pathway. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of ILG, we examined its effect on signal transduction via the TRIF-dependent pathway of TLRs induced by several agonists. ILG inhibited nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ and interferon regulatory factor 3 activation induced by lipopolysaccharide or polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid. ILG inhibited the lipopolysaccharide-induced phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 as well as interferon-inducible genes such as interferon inducible protein-10, and regulated activation of normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES). These results suggest that ILG can modulate TRIF-dependent signaling pathways of TLRs, leading to decreased inflammatory gene expression.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2008.05a
• /
• pp.29-30
• /
• 2008

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2015

Our previous study has shown berberine prevents damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier during early phase of sepsis in rat through mechanisms independent of the NOD-like receptors signaling pathway. In this study, we explored the regulatory effects of berberine on Toll-like receptors during the intestinal mucosal damaging process in rats. Male Sprague-Dawlay (SD) rats were treated with berberine for 5 d before undergoing cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) to induce polymicrobial sepsis. The expression of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR 2), TLR 4, TLR 9, the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$), the levels of selected cytokines and chemokines, percentage of cell death in intestinal epithelial cells, and mucosal permeability were investigated at 0, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h after CLP. Results showed that the tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) level were significantly lower in berberine-treated rats compared to the control animals. Conversely, the expression level of tight junction proteins, percentage of cell death in intestinal epithelial cells and the mucosal permeability were significantly higher in berberine-treated rats. The mRNA expression of TLR 2, TLR 4, and TLR 9 were significantly affected by berberine treatment. Our results indicate that pretreatment with berberine attenuates tissue injury and protects the intestinal mucosal barrier in early phase of sepsis and this may possibly have been mediated through the TLRs pathway.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.211-215
• /
• 2009

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in sensing microbial components and inducing innate immune and inflammatory responses by recognizing invading microbial pathogens. Lipopolysaccharide-induced dimerization of TLR4 is required for the activation of downstream signaling pathways including nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$). Therefore, TLR4 dimerization may be an early regulatory event in activating ligand-induced signaling pathways and induction of subsequent immune responses. Here, we report biochemical evidence that 6-shogaol, the most bioactive component of ginger, inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced dimerization of TLR4 resulting in the inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2. Furthermore, we demonstrate that 6-shogaol can directly inhibit TLR-mediated signaling pathways at the receptor level. These results suggest that 6-shogaol can modulate TLR-mediated inflammatory responses, which may influence the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2007

Invading pathogens are recognized by diverse germline-encoded pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) which are distributed in three different cellular compartments: extracellular, membrane, and cytoplasmic. In mammals, the major extracellular PRRs such as complements may first encounter the invading pathogens and opsonize them for clearance by phagocytosis which is mediated by membrane-associated phagocytic receptors including complement receptors. The major membrane-associated PRRs, Toll-like receptors, recognize diverse pathogens and generate inflammatory signals to coordinate innate immune responses and shape adaptive immune responses. Furthemore, certain membrane-associated PRRs such as Dectin-1 can mediate phagocytosis and also induce inflammatory response. When these more forefront detection systems are avoided by the pathogens, cytoplasmic PRRs may play major roles. Cytoplasmic caspase-recruiting domain (CARD) helicases such as retinoic acid-inducible protein I (RIG-I)/melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5), mediate antiviral immunity by inducing the production of type I interferons. Certain members of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors such as NALP3 present in the cytosol form inflammasomes to induce inflammatory responses upon ligand recognition. Thus, diverse families of PRRs coordinately mediate immune responses against diverse types of pathogens.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 2010

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), which are pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and regulate the activation of innate immunity. All TLR signaling pathways culminate in the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$, leading to the induction of inflammatory gene products such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Parthenolide, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the herb feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), has been used as folk remedies to treat many chronic diseases for many years. In the present report, we present biochemical evidence that parthenolide inhibits the NF-${\kappa}B$ activation induced by TLR agonists and the overexpression of downstream signaling components of TLRs, MyD88, $IKK{\beta}$, and p65. Parthenolide also inhibits TLR agonists-induced COX-2 and iNOS expression. These results suggest that parthenolide can modulate the immune responses regulated by TLR signaling pathways.