Toll-like receptors in cardiovascular diseases.
The Toll-like receptor family recognizes mostly exogenous ligands like bacterial lipopolysaccharides or DNA and activates the inflammatory cell. Evidence is accumulating that these Toll-like receptors are important in cardiovascular pathologies. Recently, expression of Toll-like receptors in arterial and myocardial cells has been shown and mouse knockout and human studies on polymorphisms point to a role of Toll-like receptor 4 in neointima formation and atherosclerosis. It is now becoming clear that these receptors not only serve as receptors for pathogen-associated molecular patterns but are also involved in the initiation and progression of cardiovascular pathologies.
de Kleijn
Dominique
D
Experimental Cardiology Laboratory, University Medical Center (G02 523), Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands. d.dekleijn@hli.azu.nl
Pasterkamp
Gerard
G
D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
D016207:Cytokines; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; C495347:Tlr4 protein, rat; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors