The stimulation of Toll-like receptors by nuclear antigens: a link between apoptosis and autoimmunity.
As immunologists have long understood, effective responses to foreign antigens require adjuvants. It is now apparent that the initiation of autoimmune disease is comparably facilitated by adjuvant activity. In the case of antinuclear antibodies, it seems that DNA itself can serve as an endogenous adjuvant. Similar to many of the microbial adjuvants, mammalian DNA mediates its effect through a Toll-like receptor--in this case, TLR9.
Marshak-Rothstein
Ann
A
Department of Microbiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 80 East Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA. amrothst@bu.edu
Busconi
Liliana
L
Rifkin
Ian R
IR
Viglianti
Gregory A
GA
D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000502:physiology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors