The contribution of toll-like receptors to the pathogenesis of asthma.
Asthma is a major disease in the westernized world and its incidence has significantly increased over the past 40 years. Our understanding of the pathogenesis of asthma remains rudimentary, and for this reason, little has been accomplished by way of targeted intervention, either at a population level (to reduce the overall prevalence) or at an individual level (to treat the cause). Instead, the management strategy currently in use relies on broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory agents, generally glucocorticoids and long-acting beta2 agonists. The recent discovery of toll-like receptors (TLRs), with their role as the initiators of the innate immune response and inflammation, suggests that modulating these receptors may be beneficial in the treatment of allergic disorders. We review here the cellular distribution of TLR in the lung and their potential contribution to the processes that promote T helper 2 (Th2) immunity and infection-induced exacerbations of allergic lung disease.
Phipps
Simon
S
Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Newcastle, David Maddison Clinical Sciences Building, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Lam
Chuan En
CE
Foster
Paul S
PS
Matthaei
Klaus I
KI
D000485:Allergens; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*
D000485:Allergens; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors