title: Innate immune recognition of nucleic acids.
abstract: The innate immune system employs a number of pattern recognition receptor families in response to DNAs and RNAs, either from invading microbes or within the hosts. These include the Toll-like receptors (TLRs), the retinoic acid inducible gene I (RIG-I) like receptors (RLRs), and the nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat/NOD-like receptor (NLRs), among other potential sensors in the cytoplasm. These receptors are composed of modular domain architecture, with ligand binding/sensing domains and signaling domains regulated either through dimerization/oligomerization, or conformational changes directed by enzymatic activities. Signaling pathways from different families of receptors converge on their respective common adapter proteins and lead to activation of transcription factors or caspases. Many of these receptors induce orchestrated responses to similar ligands from different cell types, resulting in redundant and complementary immunity to infections. This highly efficient defense system is a double-edged sword: inappropriate reaction to host ligands leads to compromised innate tolerance and autoimmune diseases. Structural studies of innate immune receptors and their signaling pathways are essential in our understanding of pattern recognition mechanisms and design of more efficient vaccine adjuvants.
authors.affiliation: Structural Immunobiology Unit, Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 4 Memorial Drive, Building 4, Room 138, Bethesda, MD 20892-0430, USA. Xiaot@niaid.nih.gov
authors.forename: Tsan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000071457:DEAD Box Protein 58; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011992:Endosomes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; D053472:Nod Signaling Adaptor Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000276:immunology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; C453881:NLRP3 protein, human; D053472:Nod Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; C485731:ZBP1 protein, human; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; C452820:RIGI protein, human; D000071457:DEAD Box Protein 58; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases