The innate immune system in the intestine

The innate immune system provides the first line of host defense against invading pathogens. Innate immune responses are initiated by germline-encoded PRR, which recognize specific structures expressed by microorganisms. TLR are a family of PRR which sense a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. TLR are also expressed in the intestine and are critical for intestinal homeostasis. Recently, cytoplasmic PRR, such as NLR and RLR, have been shown to detect pathogens that have invaded the cytosol. One of the NLR, NOD2, is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease. This review focuses on the innate immune responses triggered by PRR in the intestine.     

Neutralization of pro‐inflammatory monocytes by targeting TLR2 dimerization ameliorates colitis

Monocytes have emerged as critical driving force of acute inflammation. Here, we show that inhibition of Toll‐like receptor 2(TLR2) dimerization by a TLR2 transmembrane peptide (TLR2‐p) ameliorated DSS‐induced colitis by interfering specifically with the activation of Ly6C⁺ monocytes without affecting their recruitment to the colon. We report that TLR2‐p directly interacts with TLR2 within the membrane, leading to inhibition of TLR2–TLR6/1 assembly induced by natural ligands. This was associated with decreased levels of extracellular signal‐regulated kinases (ERK) signaling and reduced secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐23, IL‐12, and IL‐1β. Altogether, our study provides insights into the essential role of TLR2 dimerization in the activation of pathogenic pro‐inflammatory Ly6C^hi monocytes and suggests that inhibition of this aggregation by TLR2‐p might have therapeutic potential in the treatment of acute gut inflammation.     

Toll样受体4对动脉粥样硬化发生、发展的研究进展

动脉粥样硬化（atherosclerosis,AS）是多种细胞、炎性介质参与形成的慢性炎症性疾病。Toll样受体家族（Toll like receptors,TLRs）中的TLR4是机体重要的诱导分泌多种炎性因子的模式识别受体。现有证据表明,TLR4不仅产生多种炎性因子诱发血管炎症反应,而且促进AS斑块形成和发展,造成斑块不稳定,甚至破裂,对AS的发生、发展具有重要作用。因此,了解TLR4对AS的影响有助于发现新的治疗靶点和对策。主要对TLR4在AS发病机制和易损斑块发展中的作用进行综述。     

Metal allergens nickel and cobalt facilitate TLR4 homodimerization independently of MD2

Development of contact allergy requires cooperation of adaptive and innate immunity. Ni²⁺ stimulates innate immunity via TLR4/MD2, the bacterial LPS receptor. This likely involves receptor dimerization, but direct proof is pending and it is unclear if related haptens share this mechanism. We reveal Co²⁺ as second metal stimulating TLR4 and confirm necessity of H456/H458 therein. Experiments with a new TLR4 dimerization mutant established dimerization as a mechanism of metal‐ and LPS‐induced TLR4 activation. Yet, in interaction studies only LPS‐ but not metal‐induced dimerization required MD2. Consistently, soluble TLR4 expressed without MD2 inhibited metal‐ but not LPS‐induced responses, opening new therapeutic perspectives.     

大鼠白念珠菌支气管肺感染时肺组织Toll样受体2的表达及意义

目的 探讨Toll样受体2(TLR2)在白念珠菌支气管肺感染大鼠肺组织模型中的表达及意义.方法 建立白念珠菌支气管肺感染大鼠模型,观察感染后肺组织病理形态学改变,采用免疫组织化学法观察感染后不同时间(第3天、第7天)白念珠菌支气管肺感染大鼠肺组织TLR2的表达,并与未感染组进行比较.结果 大鼠白念珠菌支气管肺感染后肺组织TLR2表达水平明显升高.结论 白念珠菌支气管肺感染肺组织TLR2表达增高可能参与感染的炎症反应.     

Fibroblast control on epithelial differentiation is gradually lost during in vitro tumor progression

This study aimed to investigate the role of underlying fibroblasts on morphogenesis of in vitro epithelium reconstituted with normal and neoplastic human oral keratinocytes at various stages of malignant transformation. Primary normal human oral keratinocytes (NOKs), early neoplastic/dysplastic human oral keratinocytes (DOK cell line), and neoplastic human oral keratinocytes (PE/CA-PJ 15 cell line) were organotypically grown on top of a collagen type I matrix with or without primary normal human oral fibroblasts. Morphogenesis of the reconstituted epithelia was assessed by histomorphometry, immunohistochemistry (Ki-67, cyclin D1, cytokeratin 13 (CK13), collagen IV, E-cadherin, p53, CD40), and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP in situ nick end-labelling method. Reproducible in vitro models of multistage oral carcinogenesis were established. Presence of fibroblasts in the collagen matrix significantly increased cell proliferation in all three models (p<0.05), and induced an invasive pattern of growth in the neoplastic cell lines (p<0.05). In normal, but not in neoplastic oral keratinocytes fibroblasts induced the expression of CD40, and polarized the expression of E-cadherin and p53 to the basal cell layer. In both normal and early neoplastic keratinocytes (DOK cell line), fibroblasts induced the expression of CK13 and collagen IV. In the neoplastic oral keratinocytes (PE/CA-PJ 15 cell line), the presence of underlying fibroblasts did not change the expression of any of the protein markers assessed. This study showed that (1) major steps of oral carcinogenesis can be reproduced in vitro, and (2) the tight control exerted by fibroblasts on epithelial morphogenesis of in vitro reconstituted normal human oral mucosa is gradually lost during neoplastic progression.