title: The role of Toll-like receptors in renal diseases.
abstract: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have a key role in innate immunity. These receptors recognize both pathogen-associated molecular patterns and molecules that are released from damaged tissue. TLRs mediate signal transduction pathways through the activation of transcription factors that regulate the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines and are required for the development of adaptive immune responses. TLRs might have an important role in the pathogenesis of renal diseases: their exaggerated activation is associated with ischemic kidney damage, acute kidney injury, end-stage renal failure, acute tubulointerstitial nephritis, acute renal transplant rejection and delayed allograft function. As the results of previous studies concerning the role of TLRs in renal diseases are conflicting, further work is needed to determine the exact role of these receptors and to evaluate strategies to prevent TLR-mediated local inflammation. This Review discusses the evidence supporting a role for TLRs in contrasting bacterial infections and in causing or aggravating renal conditions when TLR activation leads to a harmful inflammatory response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hypertension and Family Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Zeromskiego 113, 90-549 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gluba
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banach
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hannam
authors.forename: Dimitri P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Mikhailidis
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakowicz
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rysz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D051193:Toll-Like Receptors