TLR4及其作用的研究进展

Toll样受体(toll-like receptors,TLRs)因其积极的研究成果而成为近年来广受关注的一种病原体识别受体,TLRs分布相对比较广泛,不但在小肠上皮、呼吸上皮细胞表达,同时也在血管内皮细胞、树突状细胞[1]、大鼠脾及心肌细胞[2]等细胞中表达.研究证实,它属于模式识别受体(pattern recognition receptors,PRRs),病原相关分子模式(pathogen-associated molecule pattern,PAMPs)可被其辨别,然后引发一系列的信号转导,TLRs 是备受关注的一种PRRs.Toll样受体4(toll-like receptor 4,TLR4)是TLRs家族中极为重要的成员,是天然免疫系统识别病原微生物的主要受体,在天然免疫反应中扮演着关键性作用.细菌脂多糖(lipopolysaccharide,LPS)作为一类受体,主要作用是介导信号跨膜转导,尤其对革兰氏阴性菌所引起的感染性炎症起着极为关键的作用.由于近年来对TLR4介导的信号转导及TLR4与疾病的关系研究成为热点,本文就TLR4的信号转导、TLR4与LPS的关系及TLR4信号通路调节进行综述如下.     

TLR4在哺乳动物对脂多糖反应中的作用

Toll信号转导通路在果蝇的发育和天然免疫反应中起重要作用.最近在小鼠进行的定点克隆研究表明Lps位座编码一种Toll样受体TLR4,该受体作为LPS受体复合物的跨膜成分而转导脂多糖(LPS)信号,而其相关蛋白TLR2则在其他病原体微生物介导的细胞反应中起作用.TLR4的发现使我们对LPS信号转导通路的认识前进了一大步.     

TLR4在急性肝衰竭模型大鼠中的动态变化及意义

目的 探讨TLR4在D-Gal/LPS诱导的大鼠急性肝衰竭中的表达变化及其作用。方法 65只SD雄性大鼠随机分为正常对照组（n=5）、D-Gal/LPS模型组（n=25）、PDTC干预组（n=25）,于不同时间点检测肝功能,免疫组化观察肝组织TLR4的表达,TUNEL法观察肝脏细胞凋亡。结果 模型组大鼠4h开始ALT、AST明显升高,8h达峰值,4-24h ALT、AST明显高于正常对照组（P〈0.05）。模型组各时间点TLR4表达明显高于正常对照组（P〈0.05）。模型组凋亡的肝脏细胞数随时间的延长逐渐增多,均高于正常对照组（P〈0.05）。PDTC干预后ALT、AST水平,TLR4的表达及凋亡的肝脏细胞数低于模型组（P〈0.05）。结论 急性肝衰竭模型鼠TLR4表达增强,PDTC干预可下调其表达,提示TLR4在急性肝衰竭的发生发展中可能具有一定作用。     

TLR4在四氯化碳诱导的肝硬化大鼠骨髓血窦内皮细胞的表达

目的：检测Toll样受体4（TLR4）在四氯化碳诱导的肝硬化大鼠骨髓血窦内皮细胞的表达,为进一步研究肝硬化时骨髓损伤的发生机制提供实验依据。方法：选择Wistar大鼠给予腹腔注射CCl4,一周两次,建立肝硬化大鼠模型。分别于建模8周和12周检测大鼠血浆内毒素的水平,免疫组化检测大鼠骨髓血窦内皮细胞上TLR4的表达情况,RT-PCR测定骨髓组织中TLR4mRNA的表达,分析TLR4的表达与内毒素血症间的关系。结果：给予CCl4 8周和12周时,对照组大鼠血浆内毒素水平分别为（0．216±0．024）Eu／ml和（0．133±0．022）Eu／ml,模型组大鼠血浆内毒素水平分别为（0．626±0．021）Eu／ml和（0．725±0．031）Eu／ml,分别较对照组显著升高,差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．001）;骨髓血窦内皮细胞TLR4蛋白表达及骨髓组织中TLR4mRNA的表达均显著高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。大鼠骨髓TLR4蛋白和mRNA表达与血浆内毒素水平均呈显著正相关（r=0．841,0．803,P均〈0．001）。结论：CCl4诱导的肝硬化大鼠骨髓血窦内皮细胞TLR4表达升高,并伴随大鼠内毒素血症的发生,提示肝硬化时肠源性内毒素血症可能参与了骨髓的造血功能的损害和病变。     

TLR4 在四氯化碳诱导的肝硬化大鼠骨髓血窦内皮细胞的表达

目的：检测Toll样受体4(TLR4)在四氯化碳诱导的肝硬化大鼠骨髓血窦内皮细胞的表达,为进一步研究肝硬化时骨髓损伤 的发生机制提供实验依据。方法：选择Wistar大鼠给予腹腔注射CCl4,一周两次,建立肝硬化大鼠模型。分别于建模8 周和12 周 检测大鼠血浆内毒素的水平,免疫组化检测大鼠骨髓血窦内皮细胞上TLR4 的表达情况,RT-PCR 测定骨髓组织中TLR4 mRNA 的表达,分析TLR4 的表达与内毒素血症间的关系。结果：给予CCl4 8 周和12 周时,对照组大鼠血浆内毒素水平分别为(0.216± 0.024) Eu/ml 和(0.133± 0.022) Eu/ml,模型组大鼠血浆内毒素水平分别为(0.626± 0.021) Eu/ml 和(0.725± 0.031) Eu/ml,分别较对 照组显著升高,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.001);骨髓血窦内皮细胞TLR4蛋白表达及骨髓组织中TLR4 mRNA的表达均显著高于 对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。大鼠骨髓TLR4 蛋白和mRNA表达与血浆内毒素水平均呈显著正相关（r=0.841,0.803,P 均<0.001）。结论：CCl4 诱导的肝硬化大鼠骨髓血窦内皮细胞TLR4 表达升高,并伴随大鼠内毒素血症的发生,提示肝硬化时肠源 性内毒素血症可能参与了骨髓的造血功能的损害和病变。     

甲状腺乳头状癌中TLR4对Foxp3表达的调控作用分析

目的:探讨人甲状腺乳头状癌(PTC)细胞中TLR4信号通路对Foxp3表达的调控作用。方法:以人甲状腺乳头状癌K1细胞株为实验材料,选用脂多糖(LPS)作为配体来激活TLR4信号通路,采用RT-PCR方法检测LPS在不同浓度(0,5,10,20,40μg/mL)和不同时间点(12,24,36,48 h)Foxp3的mRNA表达量,流式细胞术检测相应浓度和时间点的Foxp3蛋白和TLR4蛋白表达量的变化;加入LPS抑制剂多粘菌素B(PMB)后Foxp3和mRNA和蛋白的表达量分别利用RT-PCR和流式细胞术检测。结果:10μg/mL的LPS可以显著上调PTC细胞中Foxp3 mRNA和蛋白的表达量(P0.05),在第24小时达到最佳;LPS作用下,TLR4表达量上调;PMB阻断TLR4信号通路后,Foxp3蛋白表达量较未阻断组显著降低(P0.05)。结论:在甲状腺乳头状癌K1细胞株中,TLR4作为上游信号调控因子,通过自身表达量改变,进而参与调控Foxp3的表达。     

白介素17对脂多糖诱导人支气管上皮细胞炎症损伤的影响

目的:探讨白介素17A(interleukin-17A, IL-17A)对脂多糖(lipopolysaccharide, LPS)诱导的人支气管上皮细胞(16-HBE)炎症损伤的影响及其可能机制。方法:体外培养16-HBE细胞系,予LPS、IL-17A进行干预,分为空白对照组、LPS组、IL-17A组、IL-17A+LPS组。采用酶联免疫吸附法(Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, Elisa)测定细胞培养液上清中IL-4、IFN-γ、IL-6、IL-8等炎症因子的水平,蛋白印迹法(Western Blot, WB)检测细胞中丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(mitogen-activated protein kinase, MAPKs)信号通路相关蛋白:细胞外调节蛋白激酶(ERK)、P38蛋白激酶(P38)、c-Jun氨基末端激酶(JNK)的表达及其相应磷酸化蛋白(P-ERK、P-P38、P-JNK)的表达。体外培养16-HBE细胞系,予LPS、IL-17A以及ERK1/2抑制剂(U0126)、p38抑制剂(SB203580)和JNK抑制剂(SP600125),分为空白对照组、LPS+IL-17A组、IL-17A+LPS+UO126组、IL-17A+LPS+SB203580组、IL-17A+LPS+SP600125组。采用酶联免疫吸附法测定细胞培养液上清中IFN-γ、IL-4、IL-6、IL-8等炎症因子水平。结果:与空白对照组比较,LPS、IL-17A组,细胞上清中IL-6、IL-8的表达明显升高(P0.01),IL-4的表达降低(空白组vs LPS组P0.01,空白组vs IL-17A组P0.05),细胞内磷酸化ERK、P38、JNK蛋白的表达明显增加(空白组vs LPS组P0.05,空白组vs IL-17A组P0.01)。IL-17A+LPS组细胞上清中IL-6、IL-8、IL-4水平及细胞内P-ERK、P-P38、P-JNK的表达较LPS、IL-17A组更高(P0.05)。添加ERK、P38和JNK抑制剂后,与LPS+IL-17A组对比,IL-17A+LPS+U0126组、IL-17A+LPS+SB203580组和IL-17A+LPS+SP600125组细胞上清中IL-6、IL-8、IL-4水平下降(P0.05)。结论:IL-17A可能通过上调IL-6、IL-8的表达加重LPS诱导的16-HBE细胞炎症损伤,MAPKs可能是这一过程中的重要信号转导通路。     

TLR4信号转导通路在肿瘤中的作用

慢性炎症与恶性肿瘤密切相关,Toll样受体4（TLR4）在肿瘤中的广泛表达提示其在慢性炎症致瘤机制中发挥重要作用。活化肿瘤细胞TLR4不仅促进肿瘤的生成和转移,而且参与肿瘤的免疫逃逸。另一方面,免疫佐剂又通过激活免疫细胞的TLR4信号产生抗肿瘤免疫。因此,TLR4在肿瘤中起着双刃剑的作用。     

乳酸杆菌脂磷壁酸抑制脂多糖诱导的大鼠肝脏Kupffer 细胞TLR4 通路 的激活

目的：探讨保加利亚乳酸杆菌脂磷壁酸（Lipoteichoic Acid of ,LBG-LTA）对大鼠肝脏Kupffer细胞 Toll样受体4（Toll-like receptor 4,TLR4）信号通路的作用。方法：雄性健康Wistar大鼠10 只（2 月龄,体重250～300 g）处死后,分 离培养肝脏Kupffer 细胞;培养LBG,并提取制备LBG-LTA;Kupffer 细胞,在有或无LBG-LTA（0.1、1、10 ug/mL）预处理的情况 下,给予脂多糖（lipopolysaccharide,LPS,1 EU/mL）刺激后,Western blot 检测各孔Kupffer细胞的TLR4、TANK 结合激酶1（TANK binding kinase-1,TBK1）及核中的核因子B（nuclear factor-kB,NF-kB）水平,酶联免疫吸附法检测各孔培养上清中的肿瘤坏死因子 alpha（tumor necrosis factor-alpha,TNF-alpha）和白介素1beta（interleukin-1beta,IL-1beta）。结果：分离的Kupffer 细胞经不同浓度LBG-LTA 预处理 后,其在LPS刺激下所表达的TLR4、TBK1、核中NF- kB的水平及生成的TNF-alpha和IL-1茁明显低于无LBG-LTA预处理情况下的 LPS 孔（P<0.05）,且LBG-LTA 的作用呈浓度依赖性。结论：LBG-LTA以浓度依赖的方式抑制了LPS 诱导下大鼠Kupffer细胞 TLR4 通路的激活。     

TLR4mAb对2,4,6-三硝基苯磺酸诱导的溃疡性结肠炎模型大鼠肠腔及肠黏膜菌群的影响

目的研究Toll样受体4单克隆抗体(TLR4mAb)在溃疡性结肠炎模型大鼠肠腔及肠黏膜内拟杆菌属、肠球菌属、乳酸杆菌属、双歧杆菌属、消化链球菌属及大肠埃希菌属含量变化中的作用。方法 30只SD大鼠随机分为对照组、UC模型组和TLR4mAb干预组。模型组、干预组采用三硝基苯磺酸(TNBS)造模,干预组造模当天给予TLR4mAb腹腔注射,第8天处死全部大鼠。留取结肠黏膜及粪便,用实时荧光定量PCR法测定所有标本中不同细菌含量。结果 (1)粪便标本:UC组较正常组大肠埃希菌、拟杆菌含量增加(P0.017),乳酸杆菌、双歧杆菌、肠球菌含量减少(P0.017),消化链球菌含量差异无统计学意义。TLR4mAb干预组较UC组,消化链球菌含量差异无统计学意义,其余目标菌含量均有所恢复(P0.017)。TLR4mAb干预组较正常组目标菌含量差异均无统计学意义;(2)结肠黏膜标本:UC组较正常组乳酸杆菌、双歧杆菌含量无明显变化,其余目标菌含量均增加(P0.017)。TLR4mAb干预组较UC组,乳酸杆菌、双歧杆菌含量无明显变化,其余目标菌含量均减少(P0.017)。TLR4mAb干预组较正常组拟杆菌含量偏高(P0.017),其余目标菌含量差异无统计学意义。结论 UC模型大鼠较正常组目标菌含量均存在变化,提示UC的发生与肠道菌群改变密切相关。TLR4mAb能改善UC模型大鼠相关菌群结构,提示Toll样受体4在UC发生及UC肠道菌群变化中可能具有双重调节作用。UC模型大鼠肠道粪便与黏膜标本中目标菌含量变化不同,提示UC的发生中肠道粪便及黏膜相关细菌的变化不一致。     

Membrane-anchored CD14 is required for LPS-induced TLR4 endocytosis in TLR4/MD-2/CD14 overexpressing CHO cells

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces inflammatory activation through TLR4 (toll-like receptor-4)/MD-2 (myeloid differentiation-2)/CD14 (cluster of differentiation-14) complex. Although optimal LPS signaling is required to activate our innate immune systems against gram-negative bacterium, excessive amount of LPS signaling develops a detrimental inflammatory response in gram-negative bacterial infections. Downregulation of surface TLR4 expression is one of the critical mechanisms that can restrict LPS signaling. Here, we found that membrane-anchored CD14 is required for LPS-induced downregulation of TLR4 and MD-2 in CHO cells. Moreover, pretreatment of the cells with sterol-binding agent filipin reduced LPS-induced TLR4 downregulation, suggesting the involvement of caveolae-mediated endocytosis pathway. Involvement of caveolae in LPS-induced TLR4 endocytosis was further confirmed by immunoprecipitation. Thus, our data indicate that caveolae-dependent endocytosis pathway is involved in LPS-induced TLR4 downregulation and that this is dependent on membrane-anchored CD14 expression.     

MicroRNA-146a modulates human bronchial epithelial cell survival in response to the cytokine-induced apoptosis

MicroRNA plays an important role in cell differentiation, proliferation and cell death. The current study found that miRNA-146a was up-regulated in human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) in response to stimulation by TGF-ß1 plus cytomix (a mixture of IL-1ß, IFN-γ and TNF-α). TGF-ß1 plus cytomix (TCM) induced apoptosis in HBECs (3.4 ± 0.6% of control vs 83.1 ± 4.0% of TCM treated cells, p < 0.01), and this was significantly blocked by the miRNA-146a mimic (8.8 ± 1.5%, p < 0.01). In contrast, a miRNA-146a inhibitor had only a modest effect on cell survival but appeared to augment the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in response to the cytokines. The MicroRNA-146a mimic appears to modulate HBEC survival through a mechanism of up-regulating Bcl-XL and STAT3 phosphorylation, and by this mechanism it could contribute to tissue repair and remodeling.     

The role of bronchial epithelial cells in the pathogenesis of COPD in Z-alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

Background

Alpha-1 antitrypsin is the main inhibitor of neutrophil elastase in the lung. Although it is principally synthesized by hepatocytes, alpha-1 antitrypsin is also secreted by bronchial epithelial cells. Gene mutations can lead to alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, with the Z variant being the most clinically relevant due to its propensity to polymerize. The ability of bronchial epithelial cells to produce Z-variant protein and its polymers is unknown.We investigated the expression, accumulation, and secretion of Z-alpha-1 antitrypsin and its polymers in cultures of transfected cells and in cells originating from alpha-1 antitrypsin-deficient patients.

Methods

Experiments using a conformation-specific antibody were carried out on M- and Z-variant–transfected 16HBE cells and on bronchial biopsies and ex vivo bronchial epithelial cells from Z and M homozygous patients. In addition, the effect of an inflammatory stimulus on Z-variant polymer formation, elicited by Oncostatin M, was investigated. Comparisons of groups were performed using t-test or ANOVA. Non-normally distributed data were assessed by Mann–Whitney U test or the Kruskal-Wallis test, where appropriate. A P value of < 0.05 was considered to be significant.

Results

Alpha-1 antitrypsin polymers were found at a higher concentration in the culture medium of ex vivo bronchial epithelial cells from Z-variant homozygotes, compared with M-variant homozygotes (P < 0.01), and detected in the bronchial epithelial cells and submucosa of patient biopsies. Oncostatin M significantly increased the expression of alpha-1 antitrypsin mRNA and protein (P < 0.05), and the presence of Z-variant polymers in ex vivo cells (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Polymers of Z-alpha-1 antitrypsin form in bronchial epithelial cells, suggesting that these cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of lung emphysema and in bronchial epithelial cell dysfunction.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12931-014-0112-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Transformed human bronchial epithelial cells (beas-2b) alter the growth and morphology of normal human bronchial epithelial cells in vitro

Normal human bronchial epithelial cells (BE) and adenovirus-12 SV40 hybrid virus transformed, non-tumorigenic human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) were cultured for 7 days in a serum free hormone supplemented medium. BE cells after 3 days in culture were exposed to conditioned medium (CM_t) from confluent BEAS-2B cells. By day 7, CM_t-treated BE cells exhibited a lower colony forming efficiency (CFE), fewer cells per colony, and a reduced mitotic index (MI) and BrdU (bromodeoxyuridine) labeling index. CM_t also enhanced the expression of a terminally differentiated squamous phenotype in BE cells. Cell free lysates from BEAS-2B cells (CFL_t) had effects similar to CM_t on the MI and morphology of BE cells. In contrast, CM_t and CFL_t did not inhibit the growth, or alter the morphology of BEAS-2B cells. Conditioned medium from BE cells (CM_n) did not reduce the growth of BEAS-2B cells, and had little effect on the morphology of BE cells. In co-culturesAbbreviations BE normal bronchial epithelial cells - BEAS-2B adenovirus-12 SV40 hybrid virus transformed bronchial epithelial cells - CM_n conditioned medium from BE cells - CM_t conditioned medium from BEAS-2B cells - CF_n cell free lysate from BE cells - CFL_t cell free lysate from BEAS-2B cells - BrdU bromodeoxyuridine - KGM keratinocyte growth medium - TGF- transforming growth factor type - NCI-LHC National Cancer Institute-Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis Contribution No. 2801 from the Pathobiology Laboratory, University of Maryland.     

TLR4在气道上皮细胞诱导的哮喘气道平滑肌细胞迁移中的作用

目的:探讨Toll样受体4(TLR4)的激活在气道上皮细胞诱导的哮喘气道平滑肌细胞(ASMCs)迁移中的作用。方法:细胞消化法培养原代哮喘ASMCs,TNF-α刺激上皮细胞系RTE细胞收集细胞培养上清液,检测上清液中IL-8和RANTES的含量,改良Boyden趋化小室检测哮喘ASMCs的跨膜迁移,以TLR4抗体作为工具药,观察其在上皮细胞诱导的哮喘ASMCs跨膜迁移中的作用。结果:各TNF-α组培养上清液中IL-8和RANTES水平均显著增高,20 ng/ml组较其他组显著增高(P<0.01)。各组哮喘ASMCs跨膜迁移较正常组均增加(P<0.01);哮喘组和TNF-α+TLR4抗体组哮喘ASMCs跨膜迁移数较TNF-α组显著减少(P<0.01)。TLR4抗体组哮喘ASMCs跨膜迁移数较哮喘组增加(P<0.05)。结论:气道上皮细胞可能通过分泌细胞因子激活哮喘ASMCs表面的TLR4,诱导增强ASMCs的跨膜迁移,在哮喘的气道重构中发挥一定的作用。     

Influence of olive-derived hydroxytyrosol on the toll-like receptor 4-dependent inflammatory response of mouse peritoneal macrophages

Macrophages play important roles in the host innate immune response and are involved in the onset of diseases caused by inflammation. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated inflammatory responses of macrophages may be associated with diseases such as diabetes and diseases of the cardiovascular system. Hydroxytyrosol (HT) exerts strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and may be applied in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. In the present study conducted in vitro, we investigated the effects of the TLR4-dependent anti-inflammatory effect of HT on peritoneal macrophage of BALB/c mice. We show here that the elevated levels of iNOS gene expression and nitric oxide production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (0.25 μg/ml) were suppressed by HT (12.5 μg/ml). LPS-dependent NF-κB gene expression and phosphorylation of NF-κB were not affected by HT under these conditions. In contrast, the expression of TNF-α was significantly increased in the presence of LPS and HT. These results suggest that HT suppressed nitric oxide production by decreasing iNOS gene expression through a mechanism independent of the NF-κB signaling pathway. These novel findings suggest that the modulation by HT of the expression of genes involved in inflammation may involve multiple mechanisms.     

The Monocarboxylate Transporter 4 Is Required for Glycolytic Reprogramming and Inflammatory Response in Macrophages

There has been fast growing evidence showing that glycolysis plays a critical role in the activation of immune cells. Enhanced glycolysis leads to increased formation of intracellular lactate that is exported to the extracellular environment by monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4). Although the biological activities of extracellular lactate have been well studied, it is less understood how the lactate export is regulated or whether lactate export affects glycolysis during inflammatory activation. In this study, we found that MCT4 is up-regulated by TLR2 and TLR4, but not TLR3 agonists in a variety of macrophages. The increased expression of MCT4 was mediated by MYD88 in a NF-κB-dependent manner. Furthermore, we found that MCT4 is required for macrophage activation upon TLR2 and TLR4 stimulations, as evidenced by attenuated expression of proinflammatory mediators in macrophages with MCT4 knockdown. Mechanistically, we found that MCT4 knockdown leads to enhanced intracellular accumulation of lactate and decreased glycolysis in LPS-treated macrophages. We found that LPS-induced expression of key glycolytic enzymes hexokinase 2 and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 is diminished in macrophages with MCT4 knockdown. Our data suggest that MCT4 up-regulation represents a positive feedback mechanism in macrophages to maintain a high glycolytic rate that is essential to a fully activated inflammatory response.     

Taxanes inhibit human TLR4 signaling by binding to MD-2

LPS is the primary ligand of Toll-like receptor 4, activating it through binding to its accessory protein MD-2. Murine but not human cells expressing MD-2/TLR4 are also activated by paclitaxel. Paclitaxel binds to human MD-2. The binding site of paclitaxel overlaps with the binding site of bis-ANS and LPS, which results in the ability of taxanes to inhibit LPS signaling in the system with human receptors. Circular dichroic spectra of human MD-2 indicated differences in the chemical environment in the presence of paclitaxel and docetaxel. Molecular docking identified the interacting residues of MD-2 and suggests that hydrophobic interactions govern the binding, while the C-3′N group where the paclitaxel and docetaxel differ is exposed on the surface of MD-2.     

The function of TLR4 in interferon gamma or interleukin-13 exposed and lipopolysaccharide stimulated gingival epithelial cell cultures

Gingival epithelial cells are part of the first line of host defense against infection. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) serve important immune and nonimmune functions. We investigated how interferon gamma (INF-γ) and interleukin 13 (IL-13) are involved in the TLR4 ligand-induced regulation of interleukin-8 (IL-8) effects on gingival epithelial cells. We used immunohistochemistry to localize TLR4 in ten healthy and ten periodontitis tissue specimens. Gingival epithelial cells then were primed with Th1 cytokine (INF-γ) or Th2 cytokine (IL-13) before stimulation with Escherichia coli-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect the level of IL-8 secretion in cell culture supernatants. Although both healthy and periodontitis gingival tissue samples expressed TLR4, the periodontitis samples showed more intense expression on gingival epithelial cells. Gingival epithelial cell cultures were primed with either INF-γ or IL-13 before stimulation with TLR4 ligand. Supernatants from co-stimulated epithelial cells exhibited IL-8 production in opposite directions, i.e., as one stimulates the release, the other reduces the release. INF-γ significantly increased TLR4 function, whereas IL-13 significantly decreased TLR4 function, i.e., production of IL-8. Pathogen associated molecular pattern-LPS, shared by many different periodonto-pathogenic bacteria, activates the gingival epithelial cells in a TLR-dependent manner. Diminished or increased TLR function in gingival epithelial cells under the influence of different Th cell types may protect or be harmful due to the altered TLR signaling.     

纤维连接蛋白对支气管上皮细胞抗氧化损伤保护作用的研究

目的和方法：为验证整合素分子激活对支气管上皮细胞（BEC）的抗氧化性保护作用,本实验用臭氧（O3）攻击培养的兔BEC,测定细胞的^3H释放率、乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）释放活性及脂质过氧化产物丙二醛（MDA）含量,反映细胞损伤程度;观察纤维连接蛋白（Fn）及人工合成的精－甘－天冬氨酸片段（RGD肽）的保护效应。结果：①臭氧攻击使BEC的^3H释放率增高,Fn处理可减少臭氧所致的^3H释放,钙调素抑制剂W7能抑制Fn的这一作用,RGD可减轻臭氧所致的^3H释放;②臭氧攻击后细胞上清液中LDH释放增多,Fn或RGD处理均能降低LDH释放,W7阻断Fn的这一效奕;③臭氧作用后明显提高细胞内MDA含量,Fn或RGD可降低MDA含量;④臭氧攻击使细胞内GSH含量下降,Fn或RGD可增加BEC内GSH的含量;⑤Fn可增强BEC内过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性,但可被W7阻断,RGD则显示有剂量依赖性促进作用。结论：Fn及其特异识别片段与BEC的整合素分子结合后,可减轻臭氧对BEC细胞的损伤,其机理与经钙调素途径上调BEC抗氧化能力有关。