title: Toll-like receptors: novel pharmacological targets for the treatment of neurological diseases.
abstract: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of evolutionarily conserved molecules that directly detect pathogen invasion or tissue damage and initiate a biological response. TLRs can signal through two primary intracellular pathways and as such can induce either immuno-stimulatory or immuno-modulatory molecules. Both sides of this twin-edged sword are being examined for their therapeutic potential in combating neurological disease. The immuno-stimulatory properties of TLRs are being used to generate tumor-specific immune responses to CNS tumors while the immuno-modulatory properties are being used to suppress damaging inflammatory responses to stroke. Recently, a third component of TLR signaling has begun to emerge--that of direct neuroprotection. Hence, the TLRs offer novel targets for the treatment of neurological disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, L220, Oregon Health and Sciences University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA. marshb@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: Brenda J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: Mary P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Stenzel-Poore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3 / Q000819:agonists; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000819:agonists; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors